DAVID PRUTTON believes Leeds United are the clear favourites for tonight’s Championship clash against Leicester City at Elland Road.
In terms of form, if you’ve won every game in 2024, you’re in good shape. Leicester’s defeat at home to Middlesbrough last weekend demonstrates that there is a way around them.
However, you cannot ignore Leicester’s performance thus far, nor their nine-point lead. Leeds can close the gap to six points with a win, but Leicester has been the best team from the start, despite the fact that 2024 appears to be Leeds’ year so far.
In my predictions, I’ve been betting heavily on the game ending in a draw as the safe bet! Leicester can attack at will, but Leeds’ depth and form are incredible to watch, making it difficult to pick a winner between the two.
However, that audience could play a significant role in Leeds’ chances at the conclusion of the season. They never need to be built up, and this is the type of game where a fan does not need to be reminded of how huge it is, what it could signify, or what role they need to play in the grand scheme of things. The fact that it is on a Friday night adds to the charm of a bumper Elland Road under the lights, and it will be simply great.
If the difference widens to six points, Leeds can still win the title. Of course. That would put them in a position where it is no longer insurmountable, and it becomes a very realistic target, based on what we’ve seen from them and what we know they are capable of. It is still within their reach, as I have already stated in this column, even when Leicester was ahead.
After those back-to-back defeats at Christmas, things looked a little different, but it’s back on and it’s a terrific position to be in chasing down the leads. And given Leeds’ tendency to be a little slow out of the blocks, perhaps they would prefer to fight in the second and third halves of the season and then go after Leicester.
The game will be a crucial test for various places across the pitch. Look at how well Leeds has performed and their ability to transfer players into different roles. Leicester must react to their performance against Boro.
But Leicester have Abdul Fatawu, Stephy Mavididi, and Patson Daka up front, as well as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Harry Winks, who are outstanding in midfield. Then they can put in players like Kasey McAteer and Jamie Vardy, who came off the bench against Middlesbrough. All of this demonstrates that they have incredible depth, as does Leeds, who faced Plymouth again last weekend.
I thought they were once again excellent without being overly stretched. Mavididi versus Archie Gray appears to be a potentially pivotal matchup given their respective ball skills and seasons.
Leeds will be put to the test defensively, and Joe Rodon will need to be at his best. Midfield will be a key area, I believe, with Dewsbury-Hall’s ability to go past the defence and the last man, and Leeds needing to be able to track him down.
But Leeds have Willy Gnonto, Joel Piroe, Crysencio Summerville, and Georginio Rutter in good form, as well as Dan James, who has returned to fitness. Just look at the players that Leeds were able to bring into the pitch from the bench at Plymouth. These are two really deep squads with a lot of talent, and they are exactly where they should be given Southampton and Ipswich’s performances. The big confrontations are all over the pitch, and we should be eagerly looking forward to them.
If Leicester wins, the deficit will widen to 12 points, and their form has been excellent all season. They haven’t really slipped up so far. Yes, they were beaten by Boro last weekend, but Boro are a very experienced Championship team.
It wasn’t like there was a major cup upset between two teams from different divisions. This is a possible outcome in the Championship. So, from that perspective, I don’t believe 12 points would mean they were home and hosed.
As long as there remain matches on Leeds’ side, there is still optimism that someone may make a mistake while chasing the championship trophy. But, of course, this is all about automatic promotion, and I believe Ipswich and Southampton are now equally dangerous, with all four teams vying for those two slots.
Ipswich once again demonstrated incredible resilience in midweek, defeating a Rotherham side battling for its survival. Ipswich is not going anywhere. Southampton have lost two of their past three games, just when we thought they were on top form after going 23 games unbeaten. It demonstrates that a week in the Championship can be extremely long, and the race is very much alive.
We’re talking about Leeds catching Leicester, yet Ipswich has the same number of points as Leeds, and Southampton is only two behind them. If I say Leeds can catch Leicester, I’m confident the others can as well.
