West Ham United return to Premier League action on Friday evening with a trip to newly-promoted Leeds United, with kick-off at 8pm.
The Hammers are seeking to bounce back to winning ways after being edged out by Manchester United at London Stadium on Saturday evening, ending a run of three straight top-flight victories. West Ham kick-off in eighth place and would rise to fifth with a win at Elland Road.
Leeds, meanwhile, were beaten 3-1 at Chelsea last time out and have dropped to 14th in the table, having lost three and won just one of their last five games. However, a home win on Friday would see the Peacocks draw level with the Irons on 17 points and potentially climb above them with a four-goal victory.
The Hammers will be again supporting the Stonewall Rainbow Laces campaign at Friday's game, with a variety of activations around Elland Road, while the two captains will wear rainbow armbands.
Friday's game will be played without supporters present as Leeds is currently in Tier 3 of the Government's COVID-19 restrictions, but it will be broadcast live in the UK by Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Ultra HD, and across the world by the Premier League's international partners.
Rainbow Laces
The Premier League and its clubs have worked in partnership with the lesbian, gay, bi and trans (LGBT+) charity Stonewall since 2017, with the overall aim of increasing inclusivity in sport.
While the Premier League holds a week of action every season, the work to encourage LGBT+ acceptance across football continues all year round.
Education programmes such as Premier League Primary Stars and Premier League Kicks work with young people, as do club’s individual Academies.
LGBT+ inclusion is also a key element of player care and support programmes, available for all team age groups across all 20 Premier League clubs.
This week, all clubs will show their support for Rainbow Laces at their home matches using Rainbow Laces ball plinths, handshake boards and substitutes’ boards, digital screens and LED perimeter boards.
There will also be rainbow armbands for captains, rainbow laces and pin badges to let everyone present show their support.
For more information about Rainbow Laces, visit stonewall.org.uk/our-work/campaigns/rainbow-laces
Click here to find out more about West Ham United's LGBT+ supporters' group Pride of Irons, and here to meet east London's LGBT football club East End Phoenix FC.
Team news
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, West Ham United manager David Moyes revealed that Michail Antonio is unlikely to make his way back from a hamstring problem in time for the Leeds clash, although there was batter news around the fitness of Ryan Fredericks.
"It’s probably doubtful on Michail," Moyes admitted. "He’s still recovering so at this moment in time he’s more than likely doubtful for the game.
"Most of the rest of the squad are okay at the moment. We’re waiting on Ryan Fredericks - he had an injury for a day or two with a bit of a groin strain and has just come back, so we’re hoping he’ll be okay as well."
The Hammers could also welcome back Ukrainian forward Andriy Yarmolenko, who tested positive for COVID-19 while on international duty with Ukraine in November, but who made a return to action for the U21s in their midweek Papa John's Trophy tie at Peterborough United.
Leeds will be without Spanish centre-back Diego Llorente, who has a muscular problem, while German defender Robin Koch is also a definite absentee after undergoing knee surgery.
Midfielders Pablo Hernandez and Jamie Shackleton could return from their own muscular injuries, but Gaetano Berardi and Adam Forshaw will not be available due to long-term injuries.
The opposition – Leeds United
After a 16-year absence, Leeds United are back in the top-flight.
It has been a long and at times tortuous period for the three-times champions of England and 1975 European Cup runners-up, who were relegated to the Championship in 2004 and even dropped into League One for three seasons between 2007-10.
After a near-miss in 2018/19, when a late-season collapse saw them finish third and lose out to Derby County in the Play-Off semi-finals, Marcelo Bielsa guided Leeds to a deserved Championship title in July.
The Peacocks recruited heavily in the summer to prepare for the Premier League, bringing in quality in Freiberg's Germany international defender Robin Koch, Valencia's Spain striker Rodrigo, his compatriot Diego Llorente from Real Sociedad, Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Helder Costa and Brazilian attacker Raphinha from Rennes, while also turning goalkeeper Illan Meslier's loan from Lorient into a permanent deal.
With all those new recruits, combined with the established stars Kalvin Phillips, the recently-capped England midfielder, captain and Scotland international Liam Cooper and centre-forward Patrick Bamford, Leeds have made a decent start.
Impressive wins have been achieved over Fulham, Sheffield United, Aston Villa and Everton, with Bamford netting six of his seven goals in those victories, along with home draws with Manchester City and Arsenal.
However, Leeds have also conceded four goals on three occasions in defeats by Liverpool, Leicester City and Crystal Palace and their energetic, front-foot style will surely lead to more goal-filled thrillers this season.
Previous meetings
West Ham United and Leeds United meet in the Premier League for the 21st time on Friday evening, and it would be fair to say the Yorkshiremen have enjoyed the best of the previous 20!
The Peacocks have had the best of things by far since 1993/94, winning 14 of those 20 previous meetings, while the Hammers have won just two, with four draws. Leeds have outscored West Ham 34-12 in those games, keeping 13 clean sheets!
Overall, the two clubs have met 104 times in all competitions, with Leeds winning 48 to West Ham's 27, with 29 draws.
West Ham's all-time biggest win over their hosts was in November 1966, when Geoff Hurst and John Sissons each scored hat-tricks in a 7-0 League Cup fourth round demolition of Don Revie's side at the Boleyn Ground.
When it comes to League games, it was the 5-2 Second Division victory scored in Upton Park in February 1954, with Tommy Dixon scoring two of the goals.
Match officials
Referee: Michael Oliver
Assistant Referees: Stuart Burt and Simon Bennett
Fourth Official: Darren England
VAR: Jarred Gillett
Assistant VAR: Matthew Wilkes
Born in Ashington, Northumberland in February 1985, Michael Oliver has been a member of the Select Group of Referees since August 2010, when he was just 25.
Oliver started refereeing in the Northern Premier League from 2003 to 2005 before quickly working his way up through the National League and EFL to reach the Premier League in January 2010.
The 35-year-old refereed the 2007 Conference National and 2009 League One Play-Off finals and controlled the 2016 EFL Cup final and 2018 FA Cup final – all at Wembley Stadium.
Oliver was appointed to the FIFA List in 2012 and has since refereed competitive and friendly international, UEFA Champions League and Europa League fixtures.
He has refereed West Ham United on 26 occasions, including the 2-2 Championship draw with Leeds at the Boleyn Ground in August 2011.
He also officiated the penultimate game at the Boleyn Ground against Swansea City in May 2016, and most-recently the 2-1 Premier League defeat at Arsenal in September.
