Leeds United are heading to Sunderland following a triple boost - leading to a Whites change from the bookies in their predicted final Premier League table and relegation odds.
Daniel Farke’s went into Christmas having kicked six points clear of the relegation zone through last weekend’s brilliant 4-1 win at home to Crystal Palace but Saturday’s action offered West Ham and Nottingham Forest the chance to close back in.
Forest, who had dropped below Leeds into 16th place and point below them, took on Manchester City at the City Ground in the day’s lunchtime kick-off but suffered a 2-1 defeat, keeping them a point below the fifth-bottom Whites but having played a game more.
Third-bottom West Ham then took on Fulham at the London Stadium in a 3pm kick-off but they too suffered another defeat as the Cottagers left with a 1-0 success.
The losses for Forest and West Ham provided Leeds with big boosts ahead of Sunday’s trip to Sunderland and a third boost materialised as a sliding Bournemouth side were also blitzed 4-1 at Brentford.
It means Leeds would draw level on points with the 15th-placed Cherries in the event of a win at the Stadium of Light which would boot them nine points clear of the dropzone and four ahead of Forest. Even a draw would take Leeds seven points clear of the dreaded dotted line and two ahead of Forest.
The picture now looks even rosier than it did and it’s led to a Whites change with the bookies in their new predicted final Premier League table and relegation odds.
Here, based on those odds, is the full new rundown in reverse order using title odds to determine sides expected to end up in the top half.
17. 17th: Tottenham Hotspur
Relegation odds: 11-2 (but as short as 7-2 with some firms). | AFP via Getty Images
18. 18th: West Ham (relegated)
Relegation odds: 1-6 (back out from 1-7 but as short as 1-10 with some firms). | Getty Images