Michael Ricketts, a flop during his two seasons at Leeds, faces his old club at Walsall on Saturday with something to prove.

United manager Dennis Wise is convinced that Ricketts will be all out to mend his damaged reputation and warned: "Michael has something to prove to his old team and to himself.

"I am sure he is looking forward to the game. He doesn't have blistering pace but he is big and strong and can score goals, as he showed by grabbing the winner against Nottingham Forest last week."

Since his one appearance for England, Ricketts has seen his career go into freefall and Wise expects him to receive abuse from Leeds fans at the Bescot Stadium.

The Birmingham-born striker scored just two Carling Cup goals in his time at Elland Road, although he had spells on loan at Stoke, Cardiff and Burnley.

Wise has his own striker problem, with Tresor Kandol suspended for collecting a fifth yellow card against Huddersfield last week.

Tore Andre Flo has yet to start a game since recovering from a foot injury, Mark De Vries could miss out again if he fails to recover fully from illness in time and Leon Constantine is also short of full match fitness.

It is Kandol's second suspension of the season, after his sending-off at Gillingham in September.

Wise knows who will deputise for the tall striker but is refusing to show his hand ahead of the game against a Walsall side who are undefeated in ten matches.

"Tresor's booking against Huddersfield was a silly one and he knows it," said Wise.

"It has cost him by not playing at Walsall and it has hit him in the pocket. I got sent off four times in one season and I paid so much in fines that I learned my lesson. Tres' will learn too. We will miss him, not only in attack but when we are defending corners and free-kicks."

Meanwhile, Wise is ready to let Filipe Da Costa go out on loan to learn the English game. The Portuguese winger has yet to start a league game and Wise is not prepared to risk playing him until he has learned how to play for the benefit of the team.

"Filipe has so much ability but I am not prepared to have luxuries and he understands that," said Wise.

"He has to dig in, track back, tackle at the right time and think about the game a bit more. I can't take a chance on him. It is a good idea to loan him out and see how he adapts."

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