Leeds United were battered into submission by Steven Fletcher in the recent 3-0 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.
Leeds United fans may not be enduring too many sleepless nights as Jon Dadi Bodvarsson prepares to travel to Elland Road after the international break. But perhaps they should.
Reading will make the trip to West Yorkshire badly in need of points following a run of six games without a win in all competitions. And it remains to be seen whether manager Jaap Stam trusts his Icelandic centre-forward to return to the starting XI.
Bodvarsson, who arrived from Wolves in the summer, has not started a game since being hooked at half-time in the 1-1 draw with Brentford a month ago. In seven Championship games for The Royals, Bodvarsson has scored just three times.
He also tallied a grand total of three in 42 games for Wolves last season. But perhaps a Leeds side who have conceded eight goals in their last three games should be a little more wary of coming up against the goal-shy Scandinavian.
After all, Thomas Christiansen’s stuttering side didn’t exactly deal well with the aerial presence of Steven Fletcher during the 3-0 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday last time out. Therefore, they will need to be prepared to deal with Reading’s 6ft 2ins centre-forward on Saturday.
Fletcher, over an inch shorter than Bodvarsson, bullied Pontus Jansson and Matthew Pennington at Hillsborough and the defensive duo are likely to start again in Christiansen’s back four with Liam Cooper suspended.
All eyes will be on the Everton loanee, therefore, as well as Jansson who has come under question for his performances in recent weeks. Bodvarsson may not be the most prolific of centre-forwards but Fletcher’s dominant display will give him hope.
One things for sure, Jansson and Pennington will have to be on their game this time.
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