LEEDS United chief coach Kevin Blackwell will be in charge of the team at Manchester City while Eddie Gray attends his daughter's wedding and reception.

Gray will be giving his daughter Natalie away at a ceremony arranged last summer before he was made caretaker-manager.

He will be in charge of preparations for the game but once the team leaves for Manchester, Blackwell will take over.

Jody Morris can concentrate all his attention on helping United climb the table during the next three months.

Morris was yesterday given conditional bail by Leeds Crown Court on a rape charge and is not due to return to court for a plea and directions hearing until March 10.

Former Chelsea midfielder Morris, who will be 25 on Monday, was on the subs bench for the game against Fulham last Sunday and is hoping for a birthday recall against Manchester City. However, the side is likely to be unchanged if there are no injuries.

David Batty will miss Leeds' visit to Wolves on Sunday, December 28, after picking up a one-match ban for five bookings, but winger Lamine Sakho is expected to be avaiilable for the Christmas fixtures after recovering from a rib injury.

United remain hopeful that wealthy Chinese businessman Xu Ming will follow up his interest in the club with a firm bid. A buyer must be found by January 19 or the club will go into administration.

Xu Ming is one of several interested parties but so far none has put in an offer.

Updated: 11:30 Thursday, December 18, 2003