Blackburn Rovers insider predicts Leeds United 'chaos' as 'Champions League' teen to play central role

YEP: How would you describe Rovers' form currently, should Leeds be concerned at all?

EJ: Rovers are playing well. Although they're five points shy of where they were at this stage last year, they're a far better team, undoubtedly. Before last weekend, only Leeds had taken more points than Rovers across the last eight Championship games. The defeat to Sheffield Wednesday was a jaded performance but totally understandable at the end of a three-game week and considering their injuries. I'd expect after a free week, they'll be well-rested and motivated for a massive game.

YEP: Szmodics and Wharton are the standouts of this team, why is that? Has Jon Dahl Tomasson struck gold in terms of style that allows both to shine?

EJ: Wharton is a huge talent and will go on to play in the Premier League. He is still learning defensively but, as JDT says, he is 'Champions League class' in possession. He's playing every week now and I'd expect there will be serious suitors in the summer. With Szmodics, his rise to stardom has been more of a surprise. He had an up-and-down debut season, which improved as it progressed. He's taken his game to a whole new level this season. Tomasson gives the players a lot of freedom to express themselves. Szmodics is particularly good at making runs in-behind from deep, he is not a striker by any means.

YEP: Injuries are obviously a hot topic at the moment - what's the lowdown on each of the absent first-team players and do you expect any of them back this weekend?

EJ: Lewis Travis will be back this weekend after suspension. Arnor Sigurdsson missed out with a groin injury but could be back, we'll find out more on Friday. The game will come too soon for Niall Ennis too, I'd expect. The rest won't be available. Dom Hyam and Aynsley Pears will be towards the end of the month as will Sam Gallagher, hopefully. Joe Rankin-Costello, Ryan Hedges, Sam Barnes and Tyrhys Dolan are long-term absentees and won't be back until 2024.

YEP: Has JDT shown himself to be adaptable in games, perhaps when going up against a team like Leeds that boast considerable firepower?

EJ: In short, no, he likes to fight fire with fire. It's going to be an open game, decided on transitions, which does scare me slightly given Leeds' prowess on the break. Tomasson has shown a little more pragmatism in recent games but he certainly won't have his team sat in a low block trying to defend Leeds with ten men behind the ball. We've seen against Leicester City, they lost 4-1 but were right in the game until the final 10 minutes. They lost 4-3 at Ipswich in a bonkers end-to-end game. It's chaos meets more chaos this weekend.

YEP: Home form hasn't been great, is that to do with the way the team set up? Do you think Rovers will be happy forfeiting possession when Leeds visit and hope to hit Farke's side on the counter?

EJ: It's quite peculiar really. Rovers were so good at home last year and average on the road. This year, it's been the opposite way around. Tomasson puts that down to the timing of goals rather than anything tactically but I think the team is better suited when they can play in transition. Naturally, away from home, the hosts are urged on to their opponent by the crowd and Rovers have exploited that. If Leeds want to dominate the ball, that could suit Rovers in a similar way, given there will also be 7K plus travelling fans in the Darwen End.

YEP: Are there any Leeds players in particular Rovers fans should be, or are, fearful of - perhaps an individual match-up somewhere on the pitch which feels mismatched?

EJ: Szmodics is obviously the dangerman and Rovers' key attacking threat. Wharton can find the killer pass from midfield. Andrew Moran is probably a name that has gone under the radar, on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion. The teenager has generally played off the left and loves to come narrow into '10 positions' to create an overload in midfield. That could be something for Archie Gray to watch out for if he drifts into midfield. Probably suits Moran to go in with him too.

YEP: 63 goals have been scored in Blackburn's 19 games so far this season - do you expect a similarly high-scoring affair at the weekend?

EJ: I'd be very surprised if that wasn't the case. Both teams love to play in transition and are devastating when they get it right. I can't see anything but goals.

YEP: Do you think the early kick-off will have any bearing on Rovers' preparation?

EJ: Normally these early kick-offs do affect the atmosphere but given there will be 20K or so inside Ewood and lots of Leeds fans making a racket, I don't think so on this occasion.