Fulham-Leeds United Preview

Leeds United head coach Jesse Marsch insists he still has the backing of the club ahead of Sunday's crucial Premier League showdown with Fulham at Elland Road.

Marsch is under intense pressure following Thursday's 2-0 loss at fellow strugglers Leicester City, with that United's third defeat in a row and their seventh successive game without a win.

Leeds fans booed their side at the end of each half against Leicester and were angry that Marsch did not acknowledge them at full-time.

The American, who helped keep the club in the Premier League last season after being appointed in March, apologised to the Leeds fanbase on the back of another loss.

"I want to say sorry to them," he said. "It was nothing against the fans. In that moment I am disappointed and trying to figure out what I am going to say to the team.

"My focus is on stopping the bleeding. I know I am supported by the club, we are totally unified. No one is happy about this defeat. I am as angry as I have ever been."

Leeds enter the weekend's fixtures level on points with the relegation zone, while opponents Fulham are flying high in ninth following their 3-0 win over Aston Villa in midweek.

Fulham have adapted well in their first season back in the top flight, and boss Marco Silva was particularly pleased to have kept a first home clean sheet of the season.

"We knew that it was important for us to win against Villa and keep the clean sheet, the first at home this season," he said.

"It's something that we have been talking about. Finally we got the first clean sheet, and when it happens winning 3-0 at home, I can say that is the perfect night for us."

Leeds United - Patrick Bamford

Bamford has had a tough time of things this season, having yet to find the net in eight Premier League appearances. This could be the ideal fixture to kickstart his campaign, however, as the 29-year-old has scored in all four of his league games against Fulham during his time at Leeds.

Fulham - Aleksandar Mitrovic

Mitrovic was as involved as ever in the straightforward win against Villa, the Serbia international scoring his eighth goal in 10 league outings this season. He tends to perform well in this fixture, too, having been involved in six goals in his past six league appearances against Leeds (four goals and two assists).

- Leeds have won each of their past three league games against Fulham, as many as they had in their previous 15 against them. They have never won four consecutively against Fulham before.

- Fulham are winless in their past five league visits to Elland Road against Leeds (D3 L2), with their last win there coming in December 2014 in a Championship fixture, a 1-0 victory.

- London clubs have won just 19 of their 83 Premier League away games against Leeds, for a 23-per-cent win-rate at Elland Road. Of stadiums outside the capital that London sides have played at least 50 games at, only at Old Trafford (12 per cent) and Anfield (14 per cent) do they have a lower win rate.

- Since winning 1-0 at Leeds in April 2002, Fulham have lost eight of their past nine Premier League games in Yorkshire (D1), conceding 23 goals in this run (2.6 per game).

- Leeds have lost on each of the past two Sundays in the Premier League, against Crystal Palace on the 9th and Arsenal on the 16th of October. They have not lost on three consecutive Sundays in league competition since November/December 2002.

Updated October 21, 2022