Leeds United at long odds to end Cardiff City hoodoo

A 36-year-old Eddie Gray was in charge of Leeds the last time they won at the Bluebirds, on February 11, 1984 when George McCluskey hit the winner.

Nine subsequent visits to the Welsh capital have yielded just two draws since and 32 years on both league placings and current form do not bode well for the visitors.

The Bluebirds have won three out of their last four and sit seventh in the Championship, with only goal difference keeping them out of the play-off places.

Leeds, meanwhile, are 16th, just nine points off the relegation spots after only one league win from their last six games.

With Leeds’ last assignment resulting in a 4-0 hammering at Brighton, it’s little wonder the nation’s bookmakers are dangling juicy prices about an away win this evening, with United 9-2 with Bet365, totesport, Betfred, Paddy Power and Marathon Bet.

Cardiff are odds on across the board and no bigger than 4-5 with Stan James, Coral, Betfair and Matchbook.

The draw can be backed at 27-10 with Bet365 and BetVictor.

Chris Wood could return to the United substitute’s bench and is 9-1 to net first with Boylesports, the same price as Saturday’s hero against Bolton in Mirco Antenucci.

But unsurprisingly, the first five names in the first scorer market belong to Cardiff in Lex Immers (11-2), Federico Macheda (6s), Kenneth Zohore (6s), Idriss Saadi (13-2) and Anthony Pilkington (15-2).

No goalscorer is 8-1 but it is a 1-0 success to Cardiff that the bookies rate as the most likely outcome at 11-2.

A 4-0 Cardiff victory? That’s on offer at 35-1, heaven forbid.