PREVIEW: Barnsley Vs Leeds United

The inside track on the Yorkshire Derby

14 September 2019

The Reds are back in Sky Bet Championship action this coming weekend as we welcome local rivals Leeds United to Oakwell - it's time for the preview.

It's back down to business for Barnsley this weekend following the September international break.

Reds Head Coach, Daniel Stendel will be hoping his young side can build on the performance put in last time out at Wigan Athletic.

Thiam

That 0-0 draw at the DW Stadium ended a difficult opening month of the 2019/20 campaign where results were inconsistent and injuries began to mount.

Stendel probably welcomed the break for that reason alone.

All of Kenny Dougall, Jacob Brown, Cauley Woodrow, Alex Mowatt, Cameron McGeehan, Sami Radlinger and Bambo Diaby were missing by the end of August.

It remains to be seen which of those players will be available, if any, ahead of Sunday's 12:30pm kick-off against the Whites.

Stendel did shed some light on the fitness of the squad when he spoke to the press in midweek, and you can watch his full pre-match press conference video, along with getting midfielder Alex Mowatt's thoughts on coming face-to-face with his former club over on iFollow Barnsley.

Apologies, this video is unvailable.

Sunday's visitors from West Yorkshire come into this fixture having won four of their opening six games this season.

However, the Whites did lose last time out when Swansea City left Elland Road with three points thanks to a late smash and grab winner.

Still under the guidance of world-renowned coach Marcelo Bielsa, Leeds are in the second automatic promotion spot going into the second month of the campaign and the Argentine will be hoping his side can maintain their form for a full season having witnessed his men collapse at the back end of last term and ultimately fail to earn a promotion that looked a certainty at one point.

Bielsa

The playoff semi final defeat against Frank Lampard's Derby County was dramatic and pretty much summed up Leeds' recent years in the second tier where they've made a habit of throwing away great opportunities to finally reclaim their top-flight status.

It's been 15 years since the Whites graced the Premier League but there is a real feeling that 2020 will be 'their' year and their start to this season would back up such confidence.

Our opponents on Sunday have edged meetings with the Reds in recent years.

Leeds did the double over us the last time we met in the Championship; a 2-1 victory at Elland Road helped send Barnsley down whilst the Whites' 2-0 win at Oakwell earlier in the season flattered the Reds somewhat in all honesty.

Hourihane

You've only to go back to January of 2017 for our last home victory against Leeds. In what proved to be the final appearance in Red for Conor Hourihane, he won the game for Barnsley with a 20-yard free-kick in a 3-2 win in front of the Sky cameras.

Between 2006 and 2011 the Reds really had the Whites' number in this Yorkshire Derby.

Six games unbeaten with 5-2 and 4-1 victories thrown in there for good measure.

Historically however, Leeds do edge us head-to-head with 25 wins to the Reds' 20, in a clash that first kicked-off back in 1921 with a 0-0 draw.

In terms of players to watch, look no further than Spanish maestro Pablo Hernandez who continues to play football a level below his ability.

Hernandez

The 34-year-old former Valencia playmaker has already created a handful of goals this season whilst notching two for himself.

Up front the Whites have seen former Chelsea man Patrick Bamford score four times in the Sky Bet Championship and he is a proven threat at the level.

The departure of Pontus Jansson from the heart of the Leeds defence doesn't seem to have affected the Whites adversely so far this season with Brighton & Hove Albion's on-loan central defender Ben White starring in Bielsa's defence alongside the experienced Liam Cooper who has spent the last week on international duty with Scotland.

In the Reds squad there are a number of players who've moved to Oakwell from Beeston in recent seasons, including Mowatt who will face his former club for the first time since leaving in January of 2017.

This summer, Stendel brought all of Aapo Halme, Clarke Oduor and Mallik Wilks to Barnsley from Elland Road and all three are in contention this weekend and will no doubt be extra motivated to put in a good showing.

BE RED

Wilks is the focus of our official match programme for this match and he speaks at length about his time at Leeds and his reasons for signing with the Reds this summer.

You can pick up your copy from in and around Oakwell this Sunday, priced at just £3 and supporting Barnsley Hospice hence the one-off name change and colour scheme!

If you aren't able to join us in person this weekend, be sure to subscribe to iFollow Barnsley for LIVE and uninterrupted commentary from just before kick-off.

Match Reports

REPORT: Barnsley 0-2 Leeds United

Derby day defeat for the Reds

15 September 2019

Barnsley suffered a 2-0 defeat to Leeds United at Oakwell on Sunday afternoon, as the Sky Bet Championship action resumed following the international break.

In an evenly contested encounter, it was Leeds who came out victorious as two late goals from substitute Eddie Nketiah and a penalty converted by Mateusz Klich, secured all three points for the away side.

The Reds, roared on by a passionate home support, came into the game looking for their first win in six matches in all competitions, after a securing a well-earned point at Wigan last time out.

Daniel Stendel made four changes to the side from two weeks ago, as Jordan Williams, Jacob Brown, Cauley Woodrow and Alex Mowatt all returned to the starting line-up.

The in-form visitors, who lost just one of their last five league games before the international break, started strongly, as Patrick Bamford beat the offside trap and raced through one-on-one with Brad Collins, but the Reds ‘keeper stood firm to deny the striker with his feet.

However, down the other end, Kiko Casilla in the Leeds goal was also called into action early on, as Mallik Wilks stung the palms of the Spaniard with a shot from inside the area, before Luke Thomas forced him into another good save from close range.

In an end-to-end, action packed first half, Bamford was once again prevented by the feet of Collins, before Woodrow and Wilks both had decent chances for the Reds, however it was Jack Harrison with the best opportunity, as he slammed the outside of the post with a shot from the six-yard box.

HALF-TIME: BARNSLEY 0-0 LEEDS UNITED

Following the break, Barnsley started on the front foot, as Brown hit a venomous curling effort from distance, which had Casilla scrambling to tip the ball over the crossbar.

However, seconds later, Leeds countered down the field and had the ball in the back of the net when substitute Hélder Costa crossed low for Bamford to slot home, but the linesman raised his flag and the goal was chalked off for offside.

Wilks, against his former club, looked dangerous in attack all game for Barnsley and almost got his second of the season when he found space on the inside left of the area, but he fired his shot into the side-netting.

The frontman then found himself striding towards goal again, as his pace and power was too hot for the Leeds backline to handle, however out came Casilla to close down the angle and block the effort away.

Substitute Mamadou Thiam was soon involved in the next attack, as Woodrow smashed in a shot from the edge of the area, which was turned around the post by Casilla.

However, it was the Leeds substitute Eddie Nketiah who was the man to break the deadlock in the 84th minute, as he turned in a free-kick at the back post.

Aapo Halme came close to levelling the score for the Reds moments later, as he headed a cross inches over the bar, but it was Leeds who doubled their advantage soon after when they were awarded a penalty for an alleged foul in the area.

Klich stepped up to take the spot-kick and rolled it into the bottom left corner, leaving Collins with no chance.

FULL TIME: BARNSLEY 0-2 LEEDS UNITED

BARNSLEY XI: Collins, J Williams (Pinillos, 70), Andersen, Brown (Bähre, 79), Woodrow, Cavaré, Thomas (Thiam, 66), Sibbick, Halme, Mowatt (C), Wilks.

Not used: Walton, Chaplin, Green, Oduor.

LEEDS XI: Casilla, White, Cooper (C), Bamford, (Nketiah, 70), Alioski, Dallas, Hernández, Harrison (Costa, 45), Phillips, Klich, Shackleton.

Not used: Meslier, Douglas, Roberts, Berardi, Gotts.

Ticket News

TICKETS | Leeds United (H)

The Reds welcome Leeds to Oakwell in mid-September

27 August 2019

Tickets for our Yorkshire Derby against Leeds United at Oakwell are now on sale.

Barnsley Vs Leeds United

Sunday 15th September 2019

12:30pm KO

THIS IS AN ALL-TICKET FIXTURE. THERE WILL BE NO TICKET SALES ON THE DAY OF THE GAME. YOU MUST HAVE A PREVIOUS CHECKABLE BOOKING HISTORY IN ORDER TO PURCHASE FOR THIS FIXTURE.

This game has been designated as a CATEGORY A fixture.

Tickets

NOTE:

Any visiting supporter found to be sitting in an area designated for home supporters may be removed from the stadium without recompense. Any home supporter found to have purchased tickets in a home area for a visiting supporter could also be removed from the stadium without recompense and face further actions from Barnsley Football Club.

BARNSLEY FOOTBALL CLUB

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