Leeds United take on Middlesbrough at Elland Road on Friday, with both teams seeking three points in a bid to move clear at the top the table.
Marcelo Bielsa's side have got off to a flying start, currently sitting top of the table with 13 points under their belt and only losing their first game of the season on Tuesday night when they were defeated 2-0 by Preston in the Carabao Cup.
Middlesbrough have equally had an impressive start in the early-season, earning 13 points and are currently unbeaten.
The two sides last met in the league last season, which resulted in a 3-0 victory for Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium.
Here is everything you need to know ahead of tonight's fixture.
Next Match
| Game | Leeds vs Middlesbrough |
| Date | Friday, August 31 |
| Time | 7:45pm BST / 2:45pm EST |
TV Channel, Live Stream & How To Watch
In the United States (US) the game can be live streamed via ESPN+.
| US TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| NA | ESPN+ |
In the United Kingdom (UK), the game will be shown on Sky Sports Football and can be live streamed on Sky Go.
| UK TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| Sky Sports Football | Sky Go |
Squads & Team News
| Position | Leeds players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Peacock-Farrell, Blackman, Huffer |
| Defenders | Douglas, Ayling, Cooper, Jansson, Pearce, Phillips, Berardi, Shaughnessy, Diaz, Struijk |
| Midfielders | Forsaw, Dallas, Hernandez, Baker, Nicell, Klich, Shackleton, Rey, Harrison, Brown |
| Forwards | Roofe, Alioski, Roberts, Saiz, Edmondson, Dalby, Bamford |
Loan signing from Chelsea, Izzy Brown, will play no part in the game as he enters the final stages of his knee injury recovery, but Liam Cooper returns.
Adam Forshaw and Jamie Shackleton are also both out of contention, while Pablo Hernandez has dropped out of the squad.
Leeds United starting XI: Peacock-Farrell, Ayling, Douglas, Cooper, Berardi, Phillips, Klich, Alioski, Harrison, Saiz, Roofe
| Position | Middlesbrough players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Konstantopoulos, Ripley, Randolph, Lonergan |
| Defenders | Friend, Ayala, Shotton, McQueen, Fry, Flint, Wood |
| Midfielders | Leadbitter, Clayton, Howson, McNair, Downing, Johnson, Wing, Chapman, Tavernier, Besic |
| Forwards | Assombalonga, Braithwaite, Hugill, Fletcher, Gestede |
Julien De Sart will play no part in the game following his permanent return to Belgium, where he will join up with KV Kortrijk.
Other than De Sart's exit, Boro have no fresh personnel issues or concerns ahead of the match.
Middlesbrough starting XI: Randolph; Shotton, Ayala, Flint; Fry, Friend, Downing, Clayton, Howson; Besic, Assombalonga.
Betting & Match Odds
Leeds come into the game as slight favourites, Bet365 placing the home side at 5/4 for a win. A Middlesbrough win is priced at 5/2, while a draw is 12/5.
Match Preview
Middlesbrough/Twitter
Both sides have enjoyed strong starts to their Championship season, each earning 13 points and winning five out of six league games.
Middlesbrough manager Tony Pulis has spoken highly of Leeds manager Bielsa and believes he is exactly what the West Yorkshire club needs.
“He’s a top coach who knows the game, he’s very experienced, he knows what the game is all about," Pulis said ahead of Friday's match.
“He’s been at some big clubs and he has the experience to handle the situation there. And that’s what Leeds need, they need someone with the experience to ride the enthusiasm and potential there.”
Leeds boss Bielsa, while confident in his side, knows Middlesbrough will be a difficult opponent and had said: "It’s an important rival, opponent, no doubt about it. It’s going to be a very difficult, tough game."
The result of tonight's game will determine who tops the Championship table heading into the international break.
