Here are your Leeds United morning headlines for Friday, August 26.
Merson predicts Leeds defeat
Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has predicted that Leeds United will suffer their first defeat of the season when they travel to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
The Whites visit the Amex fresh off the back of a memorable 3-0 win over Chelsea at Elland Road, while the Seagulls won 2-0 at West Ham United.
Merson wrote in his Sportskeeda column: "This should be a good Premier League game. These are two teams that are full of confidence, and they've been getting good results so far. Leeds got a great result against Chelsea and are in excellent form at the moment.
"Brighton should have beaten Newcastle, and they got a good result against West Ham. If they've got their shooting boots on and take their chances, they should be able to win this game."
Merson's prediction: Brighton 2-1 Leeds
Marsch on Leeds-Barnsley brawl
Brawls have not been too frequent for Leeds United in recent years, but Jesse Marsch backed his players for their parts in the bust-up with Barnsley on Wednesday. Liam Kitching and Cody Drameh were at the heart of the flashpoint which saw both teams pile in on one another at Elland Road in the second half.
Kitching, a former Thorp Arch academy prospect, was seen pushing Drameh in front of the Norman Hunter Stand, but it’s unclear why he did it. That pair and Leo Hjelde, who came flying in at full pelt to back-up Drameh, were ultimately booked for their parts by John Brooks.
“Loved it,” said Marsch. “To be fair, they all stood up for each other, but didn't cross the line. It's really important everybody has each other's back.
Marsch addresses Drameh's future
Jesse Marsch is delighted with the progress Leeds United’s Cody Drameh has made of late, but he hasn’t ruled out a move before the window closes next week. Drameh made his first senior appearance of the season on Wednesday night as he started for the Whites in their Carabao Cup win over Barnsley at Elland Road.
He looked the part against the League One Tykes and won praise for his performance, but it remains to be seen whether he has done enough to secure more regular game time in West Yorkshire. Drameh spent the second half of last season on loan with Championship outfit Cardiff City and won the club’s player of the year award due to his form and efforts under Steve Morison.
As such, he began pre-season with Leeds with the target of securing a spot with his parent club. The signing of Rasmus Kristensen hasn’t helped his position in the pecking order and neither will the imminent return of vice-captain Luke Ayling, but Marsch has been pleased with what he has seen from the 20-year-old.
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