LE BRIS PRE LEEDS

It sounds like Regis Le Bris has settled on his best midfield formula, and the plan was possibly to play Enzo Le Fee out wide all along. Our gaffer also spoke very highly of tomorrow night's opponents, referencing last season's disappointing result at their place...

XHAKA/SADIKI/DIARRA/LE FEE

“Connected with Enzo as a left winger, with the ability to connect with them inside. I think those four players are designed to play together. That was the plan at the beginning of the season, we didn’t experience it so many times because of the injury to Habib, but now he is back. We probably have better competition but a better set-up as well, depending on the context and the pathway of the squad, and the fixtures we have to face. Pleased with the intensity and the connection they created and looking forward to seeing more from them.”

THE BEST OF DIARRA

“We don’t know. He is really young, inexperienced in this league but with great experience at professional level even if he’s young. If we can feed his potential with opportunities then we can expect many things. He wants to learn, he is intense, and the connection and relationships with his teammates will create something new. We have great players.”

XHAKA

“Granit is like a conductor. We don’t have many players like that who help the others to get better. It is important to have one or two in a squad, and Granit is one of those players. He helps set the tone, to give the first impulse, and he is a good player. When you have one more good player on the pitch it is better.”

INJURY UPDATE

“Nothing new to report at the minute, which is good because against Fulham it was probably the worst experience we’ve had so far this season. We still have one or two minor doubts which is normal with a quick turnaround between two fixtures. We’ll probably make the decisions late, but at the minute they are okay. For the injuries, they have to recover depending on their injuries. For Romaine we know it will be long but it’s important to recover properly and we will support him. It is the case for Jocelin as well. For the others, it is a question of a week, two weeks or three depending on their situations.”

LEEDS DOING WELL

“They are doing well, they have a clear identity as a strong pressing team with the ability to go direct but they are comfortable to build short as well. They are well coached with a great atmosphere at Elland Road. They have built over a few years I think. Last season they were really strong and it wasn’t a surprise to see the outcome at the end of the season. They kept going, they still need time to adapt in the Premier League but we can feel their energy.”

LAST SEASON’S GAME

“Last season we had a strong experience - I won’t say positive, because at the end it wasn’t - but we learned. The first half was interesting, we had good control and we scored. We felt that it was possible to be competitive. Then, in the second half they created those little spells of chaos and through the energy of the stadium and their energy as a team, they found a solution to score. Especially at the end, through set pieces.”