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Tag: Leeds United

  • Sky Bet Championship Playoff final | Leeds and Saints to rack up shots

    Sky Bet Championship Playoff final | Leeds and Saints to rack up shots

    So here we are, the Sky Bet Championship playoff final as Leeds United and Southampton face off.

    The second stop during Wembley’s huge week, Sunday sees the battle for the final spot in next season’s Premier League.

    The stakes are high in what is still the most valuable single game in all of football.

    Often a struggle in the post-season, it is perhaps fitting after such a thrilling season that the teams finishing third and fourth have reached this stage.

    Indeed, after sweeping aside Norwich City and West Bromwich Albion respectively, this is the showdown all fans would have hoped for.

    So who will be heading back to the promised land?

     

    Emphatic

    Nerves? What nerves?

    That was the resounding response from Leeds in dispatching Norwich in the semi-final second leg.

    Given the Canaries’ all-round capitulation, it is hard to know how impressive the 4-0 win was, but it would have cleared a lot of post-season cobwebs.

    Not least for Ilia Gruev, whose tricky set-piece caught West Brom off-guard and triggered the Leeds cruise.

    With both misfiring Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville on the score-sheet also, Daniel Farke would have beaming against his former side.

    However, against the Saints, Leeds must buck the trend of this season.

     

    Measured

    Southampton’s progress was somewhat more thoughtful, but largely, still as comprehensive over West Brom.

    It was again Adam Armstrong the difference at St. Mary’s as the number nine notched a pivotal brace against the Baggies.

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    Armstrong has three goals against the Whites this term, with Will Smallbone also scoring on occasions.

    Russell Martin’s men may not be offered as much of the ball against superior opposition this weekend, but their recent record will give them huge confidence at Wembley.

     

    Betting

    For both these teams this term, goals have been no issue.

    Southampton have won both meetings this season, both games seeing over 2.5 goals.

    However, in a final, there is always the chance punters can be undone with so much riding on the game.

    With that in mind, shots on target will be our prime consideration on Sunday and we’re looking to William Hill for some price specials.

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    Rutter and Summerville both returned to the goals last time out, and both should feature in any plays.

    Meanwhile, the Saints have been given a huge fillip with Che Adams being passed fit for the final, after missing both semi-final legs.

    Together, for Rutter, Gnonto and Adams all to have 1+ shot on target, a 5/2 dash looks promising.

    A longer shot, both Summerville and Armstrong will be key, and an 11/2 punt for both to have OVER 1 shot on target might appeal.

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    Finally, as documented, Smallbone scored both home and away to Leeds this term, but also notched against West Brom in the semi-finals.

    As an anytime scorer, a 21/4 price looks lofty with BetUK, whilst for the midfielder to have just one shot on target, a 5.0 stake will return double profits. Again with ‘Hills.

     

    Leeds United and Southampton meet in the Sky Bet Championship Playoff final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, kick-off 3pm UK time.

  • Championship playoff semi-finals | Canaries still look value at Elland Road

    Championship playoff semi-finals | Canaries still look value at Elland Road

    As the Sky Bet Championship playoffs roll on, this week’s second legs will decide who books their spot at Wembley a week on Sunday.

    Unfathomably, both first-legs between Norwich and Leeds and West Brom and Southampton ended scoreless.

    Opening salvo stalemates, they were perhaps, testament to four out of form sides, who wilted in Sunday’s heat.

    However, said drought should be brought to an abrupt end at Elland Road on Thursday night.

     

    Leeds pressure

    As Elland Road takes the stage, Leeds are the resounding favourites to progress.

    But anxiety will be high in South Yorkshire on Thursday evening.

    At one point nailed on for automatic promotion, having fluffed their lines, Leeds have lost their way and in many ways, look lost as a unit.

    Key players like Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter have gone off the boil and the goals have dried up.

    Of greatest angst, the memory of their last playoff semi-final will be reawakened.

    In 2019, Leeds surrendered a 2-0 aggregate advantage, as the Rams stunned the hosts.

    A repeat will be nothing short of a nightmare.

     

    Canaries’ underdog value

    The hosts are strong fancies to reach Wembley, however, as documented, this is not the same Whites side of earlier this campaign.

    More particularly, Leeds’ recent home record rather belies their odds.

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    Indeed, the Whites lost their last two games of the campaign at home, and even their last home win against Hull, saw Daniel Farke’s men concede first.

    So despite their price, the Canaries can hold a candle of hope.

    And at 14/5 with SpreadEx to make the final, punters can be rewarded.

     

    Goals take two?

    Either way, we can see another cagey start, but if an opening goal comes early, that could see a flood of goals and drama to play out during 90 mins.

    So, for both teams to score after half time, William Hill’s 3/1 price from 5/2 looks inviting.

     

    Leeds United host Norwich City in the first playoff second leg at Elland Road on Thursday evening, kick-off 8pm.

  • Championship playoff semi-finals | Norwich to edge first-leg

    Championship playoff semi-finals | Norwich to edge first-leg

    After a thrilling Sky Bet Championship season, Norwich City and Leeds United kick off a Sunday playoff double-header.

    With a game dubbed ‘the most valuable single game of football in the world’ just 180 minutes away, how are these two sides shaping up?

     

    Lacking form

    The answer to that is, indifferent.

    Form is a huge factor entering the playoffs, but that is hardly a watch-word used for either team.

    In the case of Leeds, having lost four of their last six to end the season, of all four playoff contenders, the Whites’ position is most questionable.

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    But that is not to say Sunday’s hosts finished the term with straight As either.

    David Wagner’s men failed to win in their last three, dropping points in half of the last six, losing to relegated Birmingham City on final day.

     

    Home comforts

    However, when it comes to Carrow Road, the Canaries are very much at home in their Norfolk roost.

    For such a roller-coaster campaign, for Norwich not to have not been beaten at home since way back in November is huge testament.

    On that day seven months back, a Sammie Szmodics brace inflicted a 3-1 loss, but since then, Norwich have won 11 times at home.

    Most impressively, that included again toppling Ipswich Town, putting a sizeable spanner in the promotion works.

     

    Inviting odds

    So how can we as punters approach Sunday’s game at Carrow Road?

    It may be shrewd to note Norwich’s home form, as documented.

    Despite Leeds being installed as favourites to progress to Wembley, the hosts retain significant value this weekend.

    A 12/5 shot with 888sport, Norwich taking an advantage to Elland Road looks plausible.

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    In any event, goals should be on the menu.

    For Norwich to score in both halves, a boosted 15/4 punt from 3/1 with BoyleSports, should attract interest.

    Meanwhile, despite a down-turn in form, Leeds will be pinning their hopes on star winger Crysencio Summerville.

    The Dutch starlet may have found the net in just one of the last six, but will be a threat.

    A Summerville anytime goal can be grabbed at 5/2 with Unibet.

     

    Norwich City host Leeds United in the semi-final first-leg of the Championship playoffs on Sunday at Carrow Road, kick-off, 12:00 BST.

  • Sky Bet Championship | Crunch weekend ahead for Leeds and Ipswich

    Sky Bet Championship | Crunch weekend ahead for Leeds and Ipswich

    After a sensational campaign, the Sky Bet Championship season is nearing a climax, with both Leeds United and Ipswich Town set for a crunch weekend.

    After Leicester City thrashed Southampton 5-0 on Tuesday evening, the Foxes – after a sizeable wobble – are now just one win away from a Premier League return.

    Below them in second and third, the battle for the final automatic spot is reaching boiling point, with Leeds involved in another multi-goal thriller at Middlesbrough the evening before.

    That result has left the Whites a point ahead of Ipswich having played a game more.

    The Tractor Boys still hold destiny in their own hands, but the coming weekend looks set to be a pivotal one, with both rivals on the road.

     

    Points on the board

    As Leeds play before Ipswich on Friday night, Daniel Farke’s men have the chance to open up a four-point advantage.

    Travelling to the capital to face a relegation-threatened QPR, come the final whistle at Loftus Road, the Whites will have just one more game to play to Ipswich’s three.

    Psychology has been a huge narrative in the promotion race this term, and this weekend that pattern is ramped up.

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    Though Leeds have a difficult final outing against Southampton, the Saints’ defeat to Leicester has all but ended their top-two hopes.

    Final day a week on Saturday could leave the door wide open for Leeds, if Russell Martin rests his squad for the play-offs.

    For Ipswich, having come from the pits of despair in League One only last season to the verge of first top-flight return in 22 years, anxiety levels are peaking in Suffolk.

     

    Dykes-Fabio double

    Such a vintage season this has been in England’s second tier, it is as tight at the bottom as it is at the top.

    Indeed, approaching this weekend, there is a genuine seven-way fight to avoid the drop and one of said teams is QPR.

    With Rotherham long gone and Millwall and Watford looking to be safe on 53 points, the west Londoners sit on 50pts with Stoke, just three points off Sheffield Wednesday in 21st spot.

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    Still very much an unpredictable outfit, QPR are scrapping for at least a point here and will be dogged opposition, and we are backing them to find the net.

    If a 10/11 Both Teams to Score lay is too short, perhaps Lyndon Dykes can be looked to by punters, having netted in his last two home games, with Leeds having shipped six in their last four.

    For one really long punt, Leeds remain uncertain from set-pieces and QPR veteran centre-back Steve Cook has been on the scoresheet twice in the last six also.

    Cook is a whacking 22/1 with Unibet to score.

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    Ipswich’s trip to the KC Stadium is no less a daunting one, with Hull still with hopes of snatching a play-off spot.

    Fabio Carvalho was a transfer target for the Suffolk club in January, but having missed out, they face an in-form and firing forward.

    The Portuguese netted at Elland Road earlier this month, and has five in his last six.

    We are looking to combine both Dykes and Carvalho in a tasty-looking double, and both can be snapped up to score anytime at 17/1 with BetUK.

    On penultimate weekend, it is sure to be another rollercoaster ride in the Champo.

  • Players who returned to haunt their former clubs

    Players who returned to haunt their former clubs

    As fans, we get attached to every player at the club we support and when that favourite player of ours leaves the club, a part of us leaves with them, but what happens when that same player plays for another club to defeat our club? It’s crushing! Today, BestofBets take a look at some top players who returned back with rival teams to haunt their former clubs, as they scored and led their teams to famous wins!

    Players who returned to haunt their former clubs

    1. Eric Cantona:
      After leading Leeds United to a Premier League title in 1992, Eric Cantona infamously made a move to Manchester United to create a dynasty in English football.
      On his first return back to Elland Road for with his new team, Cantona was fined £1,000 by the FA for spitting at home fans.
      In 1996, Cantona scored in the final minutes to help Manchester United claim a 4-0 win over Leeds with the Frenchman ending up celebrating right in front of Leeds’ Kop.
    2. Denis Law:
      Part of the iconic Holy Trinity at Manchester United alongside George Best and Bobby Charlton, an ageing Denis Law joined Manchester City towards the end of his career in 1973, but he did make a historical contribution to the Blues’ history, scoring one of his most famous goals in his career. That goal was one of the reasons for Manchester United’s relegation that season.
    3. Frank Lampard:
      Chelsea legend Frank Lampard left the club for a stint in the MLS before returning back to the Premier League with Manchester City on a loan in 2014.
      Lampard bagged a late equaliser for City when Chelsea visited the Etihad in 2014.
    4. Andrea Pirlo:
      One of the greatest midfielders of all time, Andrea Pirlo started out at Inter Milan, but wasn’t seemed quality enough before moving to AC Milan. There, he created history and rose to the level of the best midfielder in world football.
      After a decade in Milan, he joined Juventus as a free agent and took his game to the next level. Pirlo made both Inter and AC Milan look foolish when he led Juventus to four successive Serie A titles.
    5. Emmanuel Adebayor:
      Remember that incident when Emmanuel Adebayor scored for Manchester City against his former team Arsenal and ran the full length of the Etihad Stadium pitch to celebrate by sliding on his knees in front of the Gunners’ fans?
      Arsenal fans hate him to this day. Enough said!
    6. Cesc Fabregas:
      When Arsenal rejected the chance to re-sign Cesc Fabregas from Barcelona, Jose Mourinho brought him to Chelsea and he helped the Blues win the league title, which included provided a match-winning assist for Diego Costa in his first game against Arsene Wenger’s men.
    7. Cristiano Ronaldo:
      Manchester United let go of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid in 2009 and throughout his spell at Los Blancos, he got the chance to play against his former club in five competitive games. He scored in both legs as Real Madrid knocked the Red Devils out of the Champions League round of 16 in 2012-13.
    8. Robin van Persie:
      Dutch striker Robin van Persie became “villain number 1” at Arsenal when he decided to join Manchester United as he wanted to win a Premier League title.
      Van Persie scored twice against Arsenal in his first season at Old Trafford, but he didn’t go on to celebrate any of those two goals.
      However, Arsenal fans continued to boo him and the next time he arrived at the Emirates and scored, Van Persie intentionally celebrated in front of the Gunners fans.
      The Dutchman, eventually had the last laugh as he went on to win the Premier League.

      You can check more of our content like this on BestofBets’ football section.

  • Chelsea vs Leeds preview, probable lineups, players you can bet on and prediction

    Chelsea vs Leeds preview, probable lineups, players you can bet on and prediction

    Strugglers Chelsea will be looking to begin their comeback to winning ways when they host Leeds in the Premier League on Saturday.

    The Blues are winless in their last five games and a loss here could lead to Graham Potter being sacked from his job.

    Here’s our preview of this clash!

    Match Details:

    Location: London, England

    Stadium: Stamford Bridge

    Date: Saturday, 4 March

    Kick-off Time: 15:00 GMT / 10:00 ET / 07:00 PT

    Referee: Michael Oliver

    VAR: Darren England

    Team News:

    Chelsea will be without their talisman Thiago Silva as the Brazilian is expected to be out of action for six weeks due to a knee injury he picked up against Tottenham, meaning Cesar Azpilicueta will lead the Blues. N’Golo Kante and Christian Pulisic are both back in training and could be on the bench for this one. Broja and Mendy remain out injured.

    For Leeds, young midfielder Archie Gray has had a decent impact, but will be on the bench for this one. Stuart Dallas, Rodrigo and Adam Forshaw all remain out injured. Strujik and Sinisterra could be added last minute, however this has not been confirmed.

    Head to Head record in last five games:

    Chelsea wins: 3

    Leeds win: 1

    Draws: 1

    Predicted Lineups:

    Chelsea – Kepa; Azpilicueta, Koulibaly, Badiashile; James, Fernandez, Zakaria, Chilwell; Felix, Sterling; Havertz.

    Leeds – Meslier; Ayling, Koch, Wober, Firpo; Adams, McKennie; Harrison, Aaronson, Gnonto; Bamford.

    Last 5 games in all competitions:

    Chelsea – D D L L L

    Leeds – D L L W L

    Prediction:

    Things could really turn ugly for Chelsea and their manager Graham Potter should Leeds United come with a result from the Bridge. The chances of that happening are not impossible as Leeds have shown they can score goals with the pace of Gnonto.

    BestofBets think this one will be a 1-1 draw.

    Players who you can bet on for a great performance:

    Raheem Sterling:

    Chelsea desperately need Raheem Sterling to start firing if they are to make any kind of return to form starting with this game against Leeds. On his day, Sterling could be virtually unplayable, but such days haven’t yet come in his stint at Chelsea. We think the pace of this game could suit Sterling to create a major impact over a crucial 90 minutes that could save Graham Potter’s job.

    Illan Meslier:

    There is no doubt Illan Meslier is one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League at the moment. The Frenchman has been one of the biggest reasons why Leeds are not in the relegation zone at the moment. Against Chelsea, Meslier’s team will depend on him to keep out the threat possessed by Chelsea.

    Wilfried Gnonto:

    If there is one player who has been the shining light in Leeds United’s season, it is Wilfried Gnonto. The pacy winger has been in the form of his life and is sure to disrupt a Chelsea defence that is weak on confidence and self-belief. Expect him to get a goal or an assist in this game regardless of the result.

    To read more content like this on football, please visit our exclusive insights on Premier League games this season HERE.