Leeds United sit second in the Championship table and are one of the favourites for automatic promotion to the Premier League this season. The Whites feel confident ahead of embarking on a run of five games in two weeks starting this Saturday with Oxford United’s trip to Elland Road. Leeds hope to make the most of the festive fixtures and the form table suggests they should back themselves to maximise their points return.
A lot has been made of Leeds’ poor away form ahead of the festive fixtures as three of the five games will be on the road. However, we have already argued this could be a real opportunity to fix their away-day woes and set the record straight ahead of the latter half of the season.
Leeds are aware that they need to do better on the road and one way to start winning more games away from home would be to stop conceding the first goal in those games.
However, Leeds’ excellent home form has ensured that the Whites remain in the mix for automatic promotion and they are going into the next set of games as one of the form teams of the Championship.
We have already laid out how Leeds have an easier set of festive fixtures to deal with than their promotion rivals Sheffield United, Burnley and Sunderland.
It seems even the form table is favouring Leeds and their fans could be in for a good Christmas and New Year if their team perform according to the expectations.
Leeds United fans must be delighted looking at the form table
While the prospect of three away games in the next five should worry some fans given how lacklustre Leeds United have sometimes looked on the road, other metrics are in favour of the Whites.
Four out of Leeds’ next five opponents are not only in mid-table or struggling to stay afloat in the Championship, but they are also on the wrong side of the form table at the moment.
Leed will host Oxford United on Saturday and there is a reason why they are overwhelming favourites to win the game. The Whites have won nine of their eleven games at Elland Road and their opponents are not coming into the game with any sort of confidence.
Oxford are 20th in the league table but if recent form is to go by, they are rooted to the bottom with one draw and five defeats in their last six games.
The first of Leeds’ three away games during the festive period will be at Stoke City on Boxing Day. The bet365 Stadium is always a tough place to go to for any side but Stoke are not exactly in pristine form.
The Potters are winless in six with three draws and three defeats and are lying 17th in the Championship standings.
Leeds will next travel to Pride Park to take on Derby, a team they recently beat 2-0 at Elland Road, on 29th December and even the Rams are not exactly in great form.
Derby have won one win in six albeit it was a 4-0 win over Portsmouth at home last weekend. The Rams also managed to get a 0-0 draw at Burnley.
By far Leeds’ toughest fixture during the festive period will be the home game against Blackburn Rovers on New Year’s Day. John Eustace’s side recently beat the Whites at Ewood Park and are on a terrific run of form.
Blackburn have won their last six on the trot and if that run continues, they will come to Elland Road with the hope of getting a result in west Yorkshire.
However…….
The form table looks encouraging for Leeds United and they must back themselves to get a decent number of points before the FA Cup third round rolls out next month.
However, Leeds must guard against complacency and remember that they did slip up during this stage last season.
Everyone remembers their staggering run at the start of the new year when they didn’t lose a game in 2025 until the start of April. However, Leeds did stumble badly around Christmas and lost back-to-back games against Preston and West Brom away from home.
The run at the start of 2025 helped Leeds recover but Farke would hope they do better and avoid unnecessary slip-ups at this stage of the season.
The Leeds boss is aware that a good run of results at this stage will set them up beautifully for the rest of the season as his side chase promotion.
