Bradford v Leeds: Hear Hockaday press conference in full

The two West Yorkshire rivals go head-to-head tonight in the Capital One Cup second round with the Bantams, despite being a division below Leeds, in the unusual position of being made favourites by the bookmakers.

Much of this will be down to another bizarre weekend at 
Elland Road, as a 4-1 thrashing at Watford was followed in the immediate aftermath by president Massimo Cellino deciding to sack head coach Dave Hockaday only to then perform a U-turn just 24 hours later.

It means Hockaday will be in the visiting dugout at Valley Parade as City go in search of what would be only their fourth triumph over Leeds in 25 previous meetings.

The most recent of those came in October, 1986, when Bradford triumphed 1-0 at Elland Road in the short-lived Full-Members Trophy, just 11 days after beating United at Odsal in the league.

City’s only other victory over Leeds came in 1932 at Valley Parade.

“Our wins against Leeds have been quite rare,” Lawn, a lifelong Bantams fan as well as joint chairman since 2007, told The Yorkshire Post.

“A lot of that has been down to us not meeting too often down the years, but it is a few years since we last beat them.

“Everyone was delighted when the draw was made, even if since then I have sensed a bit too much over-confidence among our fans for my liking.

“I almost get the impression some just think we have to turn up to beat Leeds.

“But I don’t go with all this talk about ‘Leeds being ripe for the picking’. I have been here too many times in the past when a team is expected to struggle and yet they bite back.

“I’d liken Leeds to a wounded animal right now. They are going to be at their most dangerous because everyone seems to be prodding them and dismissing them. We might just get a backlash from that.

“We have to be really careful that we treat Leeds with the utmost respect as, anything less, and we could be in trouble.”

Leeds have a proud record in this derby of 14 wins from 24 games, while the Elland Road club are unbeaten in the last 14 of those meetings.

Whether that dominance can be maintained tonight in front of the live Sky cameras remains to be seen after a dismal start to the season that has seen United struggle.

Hockaday, for his part, insists he is still the right man to lead United.

In handing his head coach a reprieve, Cellino – who spent yesterday afternoon at Thorp Arch closely watching training – said a true assessment of Hockaday could not be made just yet due to the club’s recruitment being incomplete.

Asked yesterday when he would feel comfortable in being judged, Hockaday replied: “We have got time to strengthen my team and once we have done that – and I get two weeks to work with my team (during the international break) to get them together – then I think it would be very fair to say judge me then.

“I want to be going to Birmingham (on September 13) fully organised, gelled and then bang....we start becoming even more competitive.”

Casper Sloth, who this week became United’s 12th signing of the summer when the Dane joined from AGF Aarhus in a £600,000 deal, is unlikely to be involved tonight, while City will be without Andrew Davies.

He has broken his arm and is expected to be sidelined for eight weeks, a huge blow for the Bantams who, in the past, have struggled without the talismanic defender.

Last season, for instance, Bradford collected 47 points from the 27 games Davies played in, compared to the paltry tally of 12 that came from the 19 he missed through injury.

For Leeds, therefore, the task is to capitalise on Davies’s absence as Hockaday goes in search of a victory that would earn him some much-needed breathing space.

The United head coach, who is without suspended duo Sam Byram and Giuseppe Bellusci, said: “I totally believe I am a good coach and I totally believe I am getting as much out of these players as anyone could.

“I am not daft, I know the pressures, but we are not far off.”

Meanwhile, supporters of both clubs are being urged to behave tonight with City’s joint chairman Lawn warning any away fans found in home areas face ejection and possible arrest.

He said: “I just hope the idiots behave themselves. It is a sad fact that a few idiots on each side will be present, but they should know that the police won’t be taking any nonsense.

“Any Leeds fans found in the home areas will be out straight away and arrested. There will be zero tolerance.

“We have taken all the precautions we can, in terms of selling to fans on our database and those with tickets stubs from previous games.”

Last six games: Bradford City WWWDWL, Leeds United DLWWLL.

Referee: G Scott (Oxfordshire).

Last time: Bradford City 1 Leeds United 1; October 29, 2000; Premier League.