Why Billy Sharp might relish Leeds United promotion challenge and could be ideal fit for Whites - David Prutton

Garry did the double over Leeds with Birmingham and then there was the goalless draw at Sheffield Wednesday earlier this season.

We know tactically how well Garry can set his teams up to be hard to beat and those three meetings with Leeds suggest that.

It’s only a small spectrum of games to judge him on but that record is something that Bielsa will be very wary of.

The run of form that Wednesday were in leading up to Christmas was good but post-Christmas it has been three defeats and a win in the Cup against Brighton.

Maybe they are working their way back up to what they were doing before Christmas and I think Leeds is an ideal test for them.

But Wednesday will have to do without top scorer Steven Fletcher is now facing between eight and ten weeks out with a knee injury and he has led the line there for ages. We know what damage he can do.

With regard to the players that you would look at to fill in the gaps, we know what Jordan Rhodes can do but I do think they struggle without Fletcher. They don’t have the same mobility without him up top.

It’s a big blow for Wednesday but it’s another tick in the box for Leeds to think that they can get the right result.

Leeds will take great confidence from their first half display against Arsenal in the FA Cup third round but I think it will be a tough game and I don’t think it will be in any way straightforward at all, especially given the added spice of Monk’s record against Bielsa.

There’s also the fact that any former Leeds United manager wants to prove himself.