Leeds vs Man City: Match preview, predicted lineups, quotes, form, injuries and how to watch

When and where to watch Leeds vs Man City

Leeds vs Man City kicks off at 8pm on Wednesday 28 December.

You can catch all the action from Elland Road on Amazon Prime via BT TV.

Leeds vs Man City preview

After a staggering 18 goals in 13 Premier League games, the World Cup break afforded Premier League defences some respite from thinking about Erling Haaland, but with the domestic season now back up and running, backlines across England's top flight will need to work out how to shackle the fully rested Norwegian after his nation failed to make it to Qatar, with the 22-year-old opening his account in just the 10th minute on his return to competitive action as City defeated Liverpool 3-2 in the Carabao Cup in an engrossing encounter. 

Kevin De Bruyne was at the World Cup, but after Belgium catastrophically crashed out at the group stage, the midfield maestro appears to have put the disappointment well and truly behind him, putting in a spellbinding performance complete with gorgeous assists for Haaland and Nathan Ake against Jurgen Klopp's men. 

However, Leeds will be comforted by the fact that City will be missing World Cup winner Julian Alvarez, Brazil goalkeeper Ederson, Portugal centre-back Ruben Dias - out for a month with a hamstring injury sustained at the World Cup - and Kalvin Phillips, who Pep Guardiola said had returned to club duty overweight and faces a race to prove himself ahead of a trip to his former club. 

The Whites' last three league matches were certainly a source of encouragement as the pressure on Jesse Marsch eased with a sensational late 2-1 win at Liverpool and a comeback from 3-1 down to beat Bournemouth 4-3, before they led Tottenham 2-1 and 3-2, only to lose 4-3 in north London. 

Crysencio Summerville justified Marsch's faith in him before the break, scoring in the team's last four league games, Rodrigo went one better, scoring five over the same period, and Sam Greenwood proved his worth with a goal and an assist in the rousing second-half display against the Cherries. 

Despite the upturn in performances, Leeds are still very much in a relegation battle, sitting just two points above 18th-placed Nottingham Forest with a game on hand on the tricky trees, but City are also not quite where they need to be at the moment as they prepare for their first game on the road in any competition since 29 October, with Arsenal unexpectedly five points ahead of the reigning champions prior to Boxing Day. 

Leeds vs Man City predicted lineups

Leeds (4-2-3-1): Meslier; Kristensen, Koch, Cooper, Struijk; Greenwood, Roca; Harrison, Aaronson, Summerville; Rodrigo. 

Manchester City (4-3-3): Ortega; Walker, Akanji, Laporte, Cancelo; De Bruyne, Rodri, Gundogan; Silva, Haaland, Foden. 

Leeds vs Man City: Injuries and suspensions

Stuart Dallas is still on the road to recovery after suffering a serious knee injury in a challenge with Jack Grealish at Elland Road back in April and had another surgery to deal with a separate issue, while Luis Sinisterra is not quite ready to return following an ankle problem. 

Crysencio Summerville faces a race against time to be fit against suffering a foot injury during a friendly against Elche, while the likelihood of Patrick Bamford making the match following a combination of groin surgery and illness is slim. 

Rodrigo is expected to play despite recent hamstring tightness, as are Liam Cooper and Jack Harrison, despite calf and adductor issues respectively. 

Illan Meslier has been struck down by illness recent - but is likely to play - while Mateusz Klich had a virus and may not feature amid strong speculation of a January move to Wayne Rooney's DC United. 

Tyler Adams is suspended after picking up a red card at Tottenham, while for City, apart from the players listed above, there are no other absentees. 

Leeds vs Man City: Last time they met

Leeds were comfortably outclassed 4-0 by Manchester City in April at Elland Road.

Rodrigo had an early chance to put the hosts ahead, but failed to capitalise on Joao Cancelo's slip, and the visitors took full advantage of that reprieve as Rodri nodded in Phil Foden's free-kick, beating soon-to-be team-mate Kalvin Phillips to the delivery.

Another Foden set-piece after the break was knocked towards goal by Ruben Dias before being helped in by Nathan Ake to double the advantage, and another pinpoint Foden ball found Gabriel Jesus just onside to hammer in number three. 

Fernandinho rounded off the scoring with a 20-yard drive in his final goal in a nine-year spell at City, who ultimately won regained their Premier League by a point from Liverpool on a frantic final day. 

He said what?!

Pep Guardiola on Kalvin Phillips being left out of the squad against Liverpool:

"He's not injured. He arrived [back after the World Cup] overweight. I don't know [why].

"He didn't arrive in the condition to do training sessions and to play. When he [is] ready, he will play, because we need him, we need him a lot.

Leeds vs Man City: Players to watch

As mentioned earlier, Crysencio Summerville was a revelation in the few weeks before the season ground to a halt, with the tricky 21-year-old bagging late winners against both Liverpool and Bournemouth, also winning a penalty against Gary O'Neil's side through his direct play, and has the close control and poacher's instinct to trouble Manchester City if he is passed fit. 

A rejuvenated Erling Haaland meanwhile is a horrible prospect for any defence, not least a Leeds rearguard that have conceded 26 times in their 14 league games this season. 

Leeds vs Man City: Key stats

• Erling Haaland has scored at least two goals in five Premier League games this season - unsurprisingly the most in the division

• Manchester City scored 11 without reply against Leeds last term - winning 7-0 at home and 4-0 away - while the West Yorkshire outfit earned four points against Pep Guardiola's men in 2021/22