Marco Silva has only managed Elland Road once before, but he is well aware of the challenges his team will face at Leeds United this weekend. He led the team to a 3-2 victory over the same opponent in Yorkshire in October 2022, bringing his record at Elland Road to one win and one loss. Leeds United have not lost at that stadium since their defeat to Aston Villa last November.  

At the press conference, Marco Silva said: "Playing at Elland Road is never an easy thing. Leeds United are excellent at home and have a good record away from home. They have a strong overall team, good tactical organization, and excellent coaching and individual abilities. We all know what it means to play there. The support from the home fans is incredible and will be a huge challenge for the away team."  

“We played them earlier this season, and it was a very tough game for us. That game became a turning point in the season, and they subsequently adjusted their formation, became more solid defensively, and gradually achieved some results. However, I would not conclude that they are in good form based solely on that. In fact, even before that, I thought they already had a considerable level of play, and when a team reaches a certain level, results will naturally follow.”  

Leeds United are in red-hot form, currently eight points clear of the relegation zone. This strong rebound is largely thanks to Dominique Calvert-Lewin, who has contributed nine goals or assists in his last eight starts. Marco Silva is well aware of the striker's threat. It's worth noting that Calvert-Lewin made 54 appearances under Silva during his time at Everton, second only to Carlo Ancelotti as the manager with the most appearances in his career.  

Marco Silva said: "This is not the first time he has shown this level. In terms of performance, he is a striker who can score in many ways. Throughout his career, whenever he plays, his performance and statistics speak for themselves. He improves with each game, proving himself to be an experienced and tried-and-tested Premier League striker."