Barnsley host Leeds United at Oakwell in the Championship on Saturday.
The Whites travel to Oakwell on Saturday looking to improve a fairly poor record at the ground, having won just once there since the turn of the Millennium, and they will be going there off the back of a poor result in midweek.
Leeds were beaten 4-1 away at the Championship leaders on Wednesday just days after their season seemed to turn a corner as they beat Middlesbrough 2-1 at Elland Road. But despite the defeat and their less than impressive record at the Tykes’ home, Prutton has backed the Whites to get a draw.
“A cracking way to start the weekend! It’s always a good atmosphere at Oakwell but it usually ratchets up a notch or two when Leeds come to town. Barnsley won this one in January, but they’ve got almost an entirely different team now and Paul Heckingbottom has done a fantastic job there,” he told Sky Sports when explaining why he is expecting a 1-1 result.
“Leeds were hammered at Wolves in midweek but they won’t be the first or last side to get a hiding at Molineux this season, and this is another tough trip for them. Score draw for me.”
Barnsley do not go into the game off the back of the best run of form either, having lost at home to Cardiff in midweek after drawing away at Norwich at the weekend.
But Christiansen will surely be telling his team that there is no question that Paul Heckingbottom’s men will be fully up for the game, so they will need to forget about the defeat to Wolves and raise their performance levels to get their season back on track.
A point may not appear to be a bad result given Leeds’ recent form and history at Oakwell, but with the play-off places now three points away, Christiansen will certainly not be sending his side out simply to avoid defeat.
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