Di Canio returns for West Ham

Glenn Roeder and Terry Venables may be close friends from their days together at Queens Park Rangers two decades ago but they went into this match as fierce rivals with both managers under pressure to get a result.

West Ham were the only team in the Premiership without a home win, and Roeder made three changes to the side who lost to Oldham at Upton Park in the Worthington Cup on Wednesday.

Skipper Paolo Di Canio returned after shaking off a virus, Trevor Sinclair returned wearing a face mask to protect a broken cheekbone, and Tomas Repka came back into the defence. Titi Camara, Scott Minto, and Edouard Cisse all dropped to the bench.

Venables was forced to make two changes to his Leeds team who also suffered an embarrassing Worthington Cup defeat at the hands of Sheffield United.

Danny Mills was missing for personal reasons and Jonathan Woodgate had a groin injury, so Republic of Ireland defenders Ian Harte and Gary Kelly deputised.

Hammers striker Jermain Defoe made the 50th League start of his career, while Leeds’ Aussie winger Harry Kewell made his 150th League start.