Leeds United manager Daniel Farke is feeling the heat after a run of one win in seven and back-to-back defeats. He needs his team to get a positive result at Elland Road on Friday night, but they are battling a 20-year hoodoo ahead of the game.
A tame 2-0 defeat against relegation rivals Burnley on Saturday has exposed the frailties of the Leeds team, which were being ignored because of their early-season resilience and competitive edge.
However, the lack of creativity and potent goal scorers is holding a team who have looked solid in midfield and defence, barring a couple of poor individual errors in the last couple of games.
Leeds are favourites to beat a struggling West Ham side, who are 19th in the league table, and suffered another demoralising 2-0 defeat at home against Brentford on Monday night.
However, the Whites are battling history and an unwanted record ahead of the showdown at Elland Road on Friday night.
Leeds United have not beaten West Ham at Elland Road since 2005
Farke may well lose his job if his Leeds side go down at home against one of the worst sides in the Premier League on Friday night.
However, beating West Ham will not be straightforward. The Hammers still have players who could hurt the Whites, and the home side will also be battling history.
Leeds have not beaten West Ham at Elland Road since a win over the Hammers in February 2005. Since then, West Ham have won two and drawn two in West Yorkshire.
The Whites will have to win their first game at home against West Ham in over 20 years to release some of the pressure that has built on their manager.
Farke needs the win as even a draw against their relegation rivals at home may not be seen as a good result.
Farke needs to usher in the changes
The Leeds boss has been accused of favouritism and showing blind loyalty towards certain players. Pascal Struijk should not have featured against Burnley after committing a few errors before the break, but he did and again made mistakes, leading to the opposition scoring goals.
Jaka Bijol must get his first Premier League game at Elland Road on Friday night, and it could also be the time for Lucas Perri to replace Karl Darlow between the sticks.
Ao Tanaka may also find a way to get back into the team, as his ability to build attacks from midfield should come in handy against a West Ham team expected to sit deep.
Options are more limited in the final third. However, if Daniel James is fit to start, there is no reason we should see Brenden Aaronson in the team against the Hammers.
Can you name the team Leeds United signed these players from in the 2000s?
