Leeds Utd v Man City

Having missed out on the Republic of Ireland's World Cup qualifier in Amsterdam on Saturday night because of his alleged misdemeanour in Dublin last Monday, Mark Kennedy returns quickly to the limelight tonight when the Manchester City winger plays against Leeds United at Elland Road.

However, City manager, Joe Royle, clearly feels that Kennedy has had sufficient punishment to date and said yesterday: "Mark Kennedy will definitely play at Leeds.

"I hope the events of last week have been a watershed in Mark's career," said Royle. "He's got so much ability and he's not a bad lad.

"As always the event has been somewhat exaggerated but he's apologised to everyone concerned and now he must put it behind him. He is very upset about it all, he's a nice lad if you get to know him properly.

"He's still young and this just might help him mature that bit more quickly. But I think too much has been said about the matter. His own description of it as a prank that went horribly wrong is about right."

Leeds manager, Dave O'Leary is again faced with an injury crisis as Jonathan Woodgate, Bakke, Jason Wilcox, Harry Kewell and Stephen McPhail are all on the treatment table.

The Leeds boss will know "by the weekend" whether Kewell will need an operation to cure his longstanding Achilles tendon problem. Fellow Socceroo Mark Viduka, meanwhile, plays his final game for Leeds for a month as he heads off Down Under following the City clash to link up with the Australian Olympic squad in his home town of Sydney.

The `Olyroos' had wanted the £6-million summer signing from Celtic to fly out at the weekend to play in a friendly against Kuwait today, but Leeds managed to argue their case.