There is one match left in the Premier League weekend and it comes along in the Monday Night Football which after a late switch comes from Elland Road where Leeds United host Crystal Palace in a clash between two sides who start the night in the bottom half of the table but could finish it in the top half.
These two sides played out a very entertaining match at Selhurst Park earlier in the season which ended 4-1 to Palace so hopefully we get treated to plenty of attacking football on a night where we might all need something to warm the cockles!
Where to Watch
The match will be shown as part of the Monday Night Football programme which begins on the Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League channels at 7pm with the kick off coming at 8pm.
Leeds United
There is no doubt that Leeds United have been one of the best teams to watch in the league this season and on their day they are more than a match for anyone in the league. We’ve seen that throughout the campaign but we have also seen that when they are not quite on it they are vulnerable to plenty of teams in the league as well so in many ways there is no certainty of what we might get from the Whites here.
One thing we do need to notice with Leeds is that their home form is quite average this season. They have won just three of their 10 matches at Elland Road, all against sides in the bottom five in Fulham, Newcastle and Burnley, while they have lost half of their matches over that period including a defeat here by Brighton and Hove Albion recently. This is a chance for Leeds to get back to winning ways on home soil though and end the weekend in the top half of the table.
Crystal Palace
Whenever Crystal Palace hit a decent run of form it isn’t really noticed because the perception of them is that they are a dull and defensive side. There is no doubt that Roy Hodgson places an emphasis on not conceding goals but when you look at their signings over the last 12-18 months, there is clearly more of an intent to get exciting, talented, attack minded players into the setup and we’ve seen shades of that this term.
Just quietly Palace look to be finding some form again. They have won their last two matches and their only two defeats in their last seven games have been against Manchester City and West Ham, sides who are in and around the top four picture who you would expect them to lose to. It will be interesting to see if Palace are a little more attack minded here having beaten Leeds emphatically at home or whether they look to contain more.
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Team News
Leeds are missing a couple of players for this match with Rodrigo a particular loss as he has been coming into good form in recent times. Pedro Hernandez could be the man to replace him. Ian Poveda is also out.
Crystal Palace are without their talisman Wilfried Zaha for this game which is pretty important obviously. James MacArthur and Joel Ward are both doubts. Eagles fans could get a first glimpse of January signing Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Betting
I don’t feel easy betting on the match result here. The lazy method would be to look at how Leeds play and back them accordingly but their home form would suggest that their price is far too short. I would actually be willing to get all over Crystal Palace in this match but I never like backing them when they have no Wilfried Zaha. That might boost Leeds’ chances of winning but the amount of times I’ve seen them create plenty and score little puts me off both that and any over in terms of goals. I will bet on the game though and focus a couple of bets on a potential impressive performer.
Eberechi Eze is a man I have liked since I saw him rip my team apart last season and I think he could be influential in this game so I like the 5/4 on him to have a shot on target here and the 4/1 on him assisting a goal. Since the turn of the year, Palace have scored in four games out of six in the league and Eze has scored in two of them and assisted in another so these odds are appealing, particularly when you think he is going to have even more of a part to play in the game without Zaha being involved. When you go back to the reverse fixture, Eze scored one and assisted another and that is no surprise either. He’s on all the set-pieces and we know Leeds are terrible at defending those so he could easily find a teammate from a free kick or a corner. He also gets into good positions from open play so I’ll play the two potential involvements from the young star.
Tips
Back E.Eze 1+ Shot on Target for a 2/10 stake at 2.25 with Betfair
Back E.Eze 1+ Assists for a 1/10 stake at 5.00 with Betfair (Odds on That – Eze section)
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