The latest round of matches in the Sky Bet Championship draw to a close on Thursday night when one fixture takes place that looks almost certain to affect things at the top and the bottom end of the second tier table.
Leeds United will be looking to bolster their promotion claims when they play host to a Stoke City side who are in danger of becoming the latest club to be relegated to League 1 despite still receiving the Premier League parachute payments.
Where to watch
The match will be shown in full on the Sky Sports Football channel with the build up beginning at 4.30pm and the match itself kicking off at 5pm.
Leeds United
We have reached the business time of the season for Leeds United. If you searched their fans opinion on Twitter you would see they are all bricking it because they’ve been here before and messed it up but there is no need for that reaction. Leeds are the best side in the Championship and a win here would move them six points clear of third placed Brentford with four matches to play. Given the anxiety among their fans, it is probably no bad thing that there is no crowd at Elland Road for this one.
Leeds have only lost one of their last 10 matches either side of lockdown. That was in their opening match in the restart when they were beaten at Cardiff. There has been nothing since then to suggest that was anything but a blip though. They have seen off Fulham and Blackburn Rovers since then and should have beaten Luton in a match they missed a host of chances in. That they didn’t beat Luton is a slight concern but that game was hot on the heels of the Fulham one which naturally would have got more of their attention and energy.
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Stoke City
The demise of Stoke City is showing no signs of easing up. To be fair to the Potters, it looked like they were pulling themselves clear of danger prior to lockdown but their patchy form coming out of it has plunged them back into trouble again, and they go into this match one place above the relegation zone with the teams below them right with them. The win over Barnsley last weekend helped massively but you would still think anything they get here is a bonus.
You look at the Stoke squad and suggest it is too good to go down but whether it was under Gary Rowett last season or Nathan Jones and Michael O’Neill this season, they have underperformed throughout. They need key and experienced players to stand up and be counted from here for sure. Stoke are without an away win in their last six either side of lockdown and now would be a good time to end that barren run.
Team News
Stuart Dallas and Helder Costa both missed the win over Blackburn at the weekend but they are both in contention to return here. Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa remains without the injured Adam Forshaw and the suspended Kiko Casilla though.
Stoke City are without key midfielder Joe Allen for this match which is a real blow to their chances. Thibaud Verlinden and Tom Edwards are both expected to miss out for Michael O’Neill’s men in this game.
Betting
It is hard to see beyond a Leeds win here. The question for me would be how comfortable that win is. Stoke have been a pretty poor side for much of the season and while they will be well organised under Michael O’Neill, I’m not so sure they will offer enough at the other end to truly threaten. In saying that, Leeds look just a little short given what is at stake and the handicap line is just a touch too big at -1.25 now.
Stoke look to have serious issues in wider defensive areas. They conceded from a couple of crosses against Middlesbrough and Kai Naismith tore them apart down their left hand side when Stoke went to Wigan so for a bet in this match I’m going to plump for a wide player to score anytime, with the player in question being Jack Harrison. Harrison notched in the recent home match against Fulham and is going to give the Stoke defence all sorts of issues, especially if a makeshift left-back is getting a tough time. The visitors aren’t a great deal better on their right and with Alioski or Dallas to contend with too, Harrison should find the positions to get shots away from. The 3/1 on the Man City loanee finding the net looks a bit too big.
Tips
Back J.Harrison to score anytime for a 2/10 stake at 4.00 with Betfair
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