Diouf and McDermottLeeds United will hope to benefit from the new manager effect when Sheffield Wednesday come to town tomorrow after Brian McDermott confirmed he’ll be in the dugout.

The former Reading boss, finally confirmed as the new Leeds United manager earlier today, told his first Elland Road press conference (which you can watch in full here) that he’s agreed a starting XI for tomorrow’s Yorkshire derby clash with caretaker boss Neil Redfearn and will waste no time getting started.

McDermott revealed that he was first approached about the Leeds United job 10 days ago but wasn’t expecting further developments until the end of the season. However, with The Whites still needing a few additional points to make certain of their Championship status next season, Shaun Harvey convinced McDermott to take the reins immediately.

Asked what assurances he’d received in terms of funding, McDermott’s response was pretty vague saying that he’d come to Elland Road on “a lot of good will” but was convinced Leeds United’s owners were looking to push on.

The 52-year-old said he was “realistic” about the potential sale of key players and had sought no assurances that key individuals will remain at the club next season, adding that he’d lost big names at Reading but still managed to win the league.

McDermott cut a relaxed and self-assured figure, clearly confident but without the arrogance and egotism of his predecessor. On first impressions, Leeds United’s new manager seems to be a calming figure who should fare better than most at managing the high levels of expectation which so often plague this football club.

Our thanks as always go to Kick-Off for providing us with this exclusive statistical preview ahead of tomorrow’s game;

Leeds United v Sheffield Wednesday