LEEDS vs HARTLEPOOL Matchfile

4:37pm Friday 21st November 2008

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LIKELY LINE-UPS

LEEDS (4-4-2): Lucas, Richardson, Michalik, Telfer, Parker, Snodgrass, Delph, Kilkenny, Howson, Beckford, Becchio.

HARTLEPOOL (4-4-2): Lee-Barrett, Sweeney, Nelson, Collins, Humphreys, Brown, Clark, Jones, Robson, Kyle, Porter.

Hartlepool subs (from): Budtz, Monkhouse, Foley, Mackay, Liddle, McCunnie.

Leeds subs (from): Huntingdon, Marques, Hughes, Webb, Prutton, Douglas, Christie, Showunmi, Ankergren, Robinson.

HARTLEPOOL: Skipper Sam Collins will return to the middle of the defence after a one-game suspension, which means Ben Clark reverts to central midfield alongside Ritchie Jones, so forcing Gary Liddle to the bench. Kevin Kyle was ineligible for the FA Cup win over Brighton and will be paired up front with Joel Porter, so James Brown starts on the right wing.

Suspensions: None

Injuries: Boland (knee)

Last five league games: LLWWW

Leading League scorers: Porter, Brown 6

Next game: v Bristol Rovers (H) 25/11/08

LEEDS UNITED: Gary McAllister will make changes - despite scoring five in the FA Cup win at Northampton in midweek. Fabian Delph returns after being on England Under-21 duty, while Luciano Becchio will partner Jermaine Beckford up front at the expense of Malcolm Christie. Skipper Frazer Richardson returns after illness at right-back. Rui Marques has trained after injury along with Paul Huntington, the latter having played in a behind-closed-doors friendly at Thorp Arch on Thursday. The pair are unlikely to feature from the start.

Suspensions: None

Injuries: Sheehan (hamstring)

Last five league games: LWLWW

Leading League scorer: Beckford 9

Key player: Fabian Delph - courted by a host of clubs

Last season: 2-0

League head to head: Leeds 2, Hartlepool 0, Draws 0

Referee: Graham Salisbury (Preston) G13 Y31 R3 Av 2.61

Last Hartlepool: v Stockport (H) 23/08/08 L0-1 Y3 R0

Odds: H6/4; A5/1; D11/5

It's a fact: Pools spent £10,000 on winger Russell Doig from Leeds in 1987.

Comment by NICK LOUGHLIN: On their two previous visits to Elland Road, Pools have played well but returned home with nothing.

Prediction: 2-0

** READ MORE HARTLEPOOL NEWS IN TOMORROW'S NORTHERN ECHO **