It was a shock to see third choice goalkeeper, Klaeson, playing; Darlow had a dislocated thumb and Mes was still suspended. An even bigger surprise was Bamford making his first start of the season with Piroe dropped to the bench.

Leeds United bounced back with an easy-peasy win to send Wazza Rooney to the brink of the sack. We review the game, along with a festive week that lacked any Christmas cheer, and look forward to a happy and upwardly mobile 2024!

I have just listened to Daniel Farke’s pre-match press conference and he always comes up with brilliant answers. He said he wants us to go into this match tomorrow “with the knife between our teeth” in order to regain our momentum.

After the defeat to Preston on Boxing Day the last match of 2023 for Leeds United was a difficult looking away trip at WBA.

We are past the halfway stage in the season and the top two teams at Xmas usually go up…as they say.

Slow news day today, the calm before the storm of a vital six-pointer against Ipswich. There were two Championship games though, and Hull missed the chance to temporarily move three points behind Leeds, losing at Bristol City, while Boxing Day opponents Preston continued their slide into the lower reaches of the division with a fifth defeat in their last seven. 

It was another short trip across the Pennines for a lunchtime kickoff, courtesy of Sky, with Leeds United in the pink kit again for this Boxing Day fixture.

It is still Xmas Day and I am writing a preview. I must be mad but then again there will not be much time on the morning of Boxing Day with family commitments and a 12.30 kick off for Leeds United at Preston North End

It was an unchanged starting 11 for Leeds and the pundits on Sky saw no reason for Ipswich to play anything other than their normal game, having done amazingly well after coming up from League One and being ten points clear of 3rd placed Leeds United