Major Leeds United change expected with strong view on team amid big setback

Leeds signed off for eight days without a game by falling to their first home league defeat of the season in Saturday lunchtime’s Championship hosting of Blackburn Rovers in which the Whites blew the chance to move back into the top two.

Defeat for Leicester City at Friday night’s hosts Plymouth Argyle opened the door for Leeds for whom even a point would have taken them back into the division’s automatic promotion places, albeit having played one game more than the Foxes.

As it happened, victory would have put United’s top two destiny back in their own hands by virtue of Ipswich Town only managing a 1-1 draw in Saturday’s 3pm kick-off at home to Middlesbrough. Third-placed Leeds are consequently one point behind second-placed Leicester and two points behind new leaders Ipswich who, like Leeds, also have just three games left.

Ipswich, though, do not play this coming weekend due to scheduled opponents Coventry City being in FA Cup action and the bookmakers are predicting a major Leeds position change by moving back into the division’s automatic promotion spots with victory at Monday night’s hosts Middlesbrough.

Despite taking just one point from their last three games, Leeds are odds-on favourites across the board for the 8pm kick-off at the Riverside in being no bigger than 5-6 but as short as 8-11 with some firms. Michael Carrick’s ninth-placed hosts can be backed at just short of 4-1 at 17-5 whilst the draw is on offer at 29-10.

As part of their strong view on Leeds, the bookmakers also expect that a Whites victory will leave Ipswich down in third-place, behind both Farke’s Whites and also Leicester City who host West Brom on Saturday lunchtime. The Baggies sit fifth and Leicester have lost their last two games yet the Foxes are odds-on with every firm and a similar price to Leeds at Boro.

Enzo Maresca’s side are slightly shorter in being a best-priced 3-5 to beat Carlos Corberan’s side who can be backed at 5-1. The draw is on offer at 16-5. Wins for Leicester and Leeds would leave Ipswich third, one point behind the Whites but with a game in hand and two points behind Leicester but on the same amount of games played.

Fourth-placed Southampton, meanwhile, visit Cardiff City in a Saturday 3pm kick-off and the Saints are rated the most likely team to win out of the lot. Russell Martin’s side are hovering around the 1-2 mark at a best priced 11-20. Cardiff can be backed at 5-1 and the draw is available at 7-2.