Leeds United expected to return with victory at Cardiff City with Whites now eye-wateringly short for top-two finish

United's odds for automatic promotion were continually shrinking as Leeds established a run of five consecutive victories before the season became suspended in March amidst the country's battle against coronavirus.

Betting markets then became suspended too but Leeds are now as short as 1-50 to finish first or second with Sky Bet after both Fulham and West Brom dropped points on the Championship's first day back.

United would subsequently create a ten-point cushion in the automatic promotion spots with victory at Cardiff and a win would also send Leeds three points clear of second in first.

Leeds are 1-25 for a top two finish with Bet365 and Betfred and 1-14 via the Betfair exchange whereas West Brom are no bigger than 1-6 and as short as 1-10.

Perhaps significantly, Brentford are now regarded as the chief threat after Saturday's 2-0 win at Fulham with the fourth-placed Bees no bigger than 9-1 for a top-two finish and as short as 5s.

Fulham - who are seven points adrift of West Brom and Leeds but still one point ahead of Brentford - are now as big as 12s and what it seen as a four-race horse at best, it is 100-1 bar which brings in fifth-placed Nottingham Forest who are another two points behind Brentford.

And while it is not expected to be plain sailing, Leeds are fancied to make it six Championship wins in a row at Cardiff with Marcelo Bielsa's Whites no bigger than 4-6 to leave with victory.

The draw is on offer at 3-1 with a Bluebirds success at 19-4.

Not surprisingly given those odds, Patrick Bamford is favourite to score first at the Cardiff City Stadium at 15-4 and only 15-13 any time.

Second favourite Tyler Roberts could be a good shout at 23-4 to score first and 2-1 anytime in the absence of Pablo Hernandez.

Robert Glatzel - who netted in the 3-3 draw at Elland Road in December - is rated Cardiff's main threat at 19-2 to score first with Danny Ward the next Bluebirds player at 21-2.

Cardiff-wise, fit again livewire Lee Tomlin looks the best value at 12-1 to score first and 19-4 anytime.

But if the market has it right then one goal will be enough for another Whites victory and clean sheet with a 1-0 success for United the favourite outcome in the correct score market at 13-2.

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