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Sports Mole previews Sunday's pre-season friendly between Leeds United and Cagliari, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Leeds United finalise their preparations for the 2022-23 Premier League season with the visit of Cagliari to Elland Road for Sunday's pre-season friendly.

Jesse Marsch's side drew 1-1 with Crystal Palace in their most recent exhibition game, while the Serie A outfit got the better of Strasbourg 2-1.

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Match preview

A significant summer of change was always expected to occur at Elland Road, with Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips doing their bit to help Leeds stave off relegation before going on to fulfil their dreams of playing Champions League football.

Despite their standing near the foot of the table last term, the Whites still possess the necessary Premier League pull to acquire some notable names, with Brenden Aaronson, Marc Roca and Luis Sinisterra among those ready to push their side higher up the table this season.

After kicking off their pre-season with a 4-0 thumping of Blackpool, Leeds United got the better of Brisbane Roar 2-1 and lost to Aston Villa 1-0 in the Queensland Champions Cup, and they remained in Australia to do battle with fellow Premier League side Palace last Friday.

Rodrigo and Jean-Philippe Mateta were on target as the two clubs shook hands on a 1-1 draw, and Marsch's new-look crop now have just one more pre-season game to finalise their preparations for a pivotal Premier League season under the American's tutelage.

While Leeds United managed to avoid a dampening relegation to the second tier last term, the same cannot be said for Cagliari, who will ply their trade in Serie B for the first time since 2016 this time around.

None of Leonardo Semplici, Walter Mazzarri or caretaker boss Alessandro Agostini could prevent Cagliari from slumping to an 18th-placed finish in the division, and Fabio Liverani will be the man attempting to get his side back into the pinnacle of Italian football at the first time of asking.

Gli Isolani have still managed to post back-to-back wins against Olbia and Ligue 1 high-flyers Strasbourg in pre-season, with Jacopo Desogus and Leonardo Pavoletti on target against the latter before Adrien Thomasson struck a consolation.

Before beginning their bid to earn promotion back to the top flight, Cagliari's domestic action resumes with a Coppa Italia round-of-64 battle with Perugia, and a positive performance against Leeds would certainly stand the Italian outfit in good stead for Calcio duties.

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Team News

Leeds fans witnessed the painful sight of Sinisterra coming off with an injury after just 14 minutes against Crystal Palace, and the attacker is expected to miss out here owing to that hamstring injury.

Adam Forshaw also took a knock to the knee and joins a near full-capacity Elland Road treatment room, which Liam Cooper, Luke Ayling, Junior Firpo, Cody Drameh and Stuart Dallas also occupy.

Daniel James is still serving a Premier League suspension but should replace the injured Sinisterra up top here, while either Roca or Mateusz Klich are ready to fill in for Forshaw alongside Tyler Adams.

Meanwhile, it came as little surprise to see a mass exodus from Cagliari after their relegation, with goalkeeper Alessio Cragno and strikers Joao Pedro and Giovanni Simeone - the former of whom has joined Monza on loan - headlining the summer departures.

Gianluca Lapadula will aim to spearhead Cagliari's promotion charge after arriving for a £1.8m fee from Benevento, and the 32-year-old should lead the line at Elland Road.

Leeds United possible starting lineup:
Meslier; Kristensen, Koch, Llorente, Davis; Adams, Klich; Harrison, Aaronson, James; Bamford

Cagliari possible starting lineup:
Radunovic; Altare, Goldaniga, Obert; Zappa, Rog, Nandez, Deiola, Desogus; Lapadula, Pavoletti

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We say: Leeds United 2-1 Cagliari

The last thing that Jesse Marsch needed so close to the new Premier League season was a new wave of injuries, and the Whites coach will be desperate to avoid any more fitness issues this weekend with a possible conservative approach.

Such a decision would play into Cagliari's hands as they aim to make it three from three in pre-season, but Leeds still possess enough attacking talent to edge a close contest.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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