For Premier League fans, the few weeks either side of Christmas is the period they look forward to more than any other. Games come every few days, so people barely have to move away from their sofas, as there is so much action to enjoy. It also means there is ample opportunity to bet on Premier League matches, as each fixture throws up a variety of intriguing betting odds.
Signing up to a new sportsbook can be particularly rewarding around this time of year. Some will offer free sports picks on Premier League games, as well as a thorough set of betting odds. If you have always considered getting into sports betting, but never quite found the right opportunity, then we thoroughly recommend this festive period as the time to sign up and get betting.
One side that will feature frequently on bettor’s sports accumulators are Leeds United. They have 5 fixtures between now and the 16th of January, in both the Premier League and the FA Cup. To find out more about Leeds United, which will help inform your betting decisions, read on to see how they’ve been faring in the last few months.
Surprise package on return to the top flight
Before we look at their current form, it’s worth looking at their stellar 2020/21 season. After 16 years away from the top flight, Leeds United were finally promoted back to the Premier League in May of 2020. While fans were in a jubilant mood, they unfortunately were not allowed to celebrate in the stadium, due to COVID-19 protocols. That didn’t stop thousands of fans congregating in the street around Elland Road, as their team were finally back where they belong.
The supporters were also kept away from the ground for most of the 2020/21 season, which was a real shame as they were able to find great form. Despite some odds suggesting they would be relegated straight away, in fact the very opposite was true, as Marcelo Bielsa’s men went from strength to strength. They managed to sneak in a few surprise results, such as beating Manchester City 2-1 at the Etihad, even when they were down to 10 men.
In the end, Leeds finished in9th place, just 2 points behind Arsenal. They won all 4 of their last games, against Tottenham, Burnley, Southampton and West Brom. They had odds of +15000 to win the 2021/22 Premier League, which put them as joint 10th favourites. Everything was looking good for Leeds and Bielsa.
Injuries mount up, affecting early season form
2nd season syndrome is something that a lot of Premier League teams have to contend with. No longer are they the surprise package that they were in their inaugural campaign, as other teams were able to work out their style of play, and plan how to beat them.
The season couldn’t have begun in worse fashion, as they were humbled by their biggest rivals Manchester United 5-1. It took Bielsa’s men 7 league games to finally get a win, following draws with the likes of Everton, Burnley and Newcastle, and losses to Liverpool and West Ham. Their first 3 points were picked up against Watford, who at that time were one of the few teams who were doing worse than Leeds.
From there, the season failed to really get going, as many of their key players began to suffer injuries. Patrick Bamford, Kalvin Phillips and Liam Cooper were just some of the players who have missed several games, and without them, Leeds have struggled badly, as their squad simply isn’t deep enough. A 7-0 loss to Man City really compounded just how bad things are right now.
They are so depleted, that their odds to win their next fixture against Liverpool are as low as 16/1. Yes, Liverpool are a top side, but even so, bettors will want to stay well away from betting on Leeds in this fixture.
Will Bielsa still be around to steer them clear?
Marcelo Bielsa is an interesting manager. Some see him as a visionary, while others see him as stubborn. Throughout their bad run, he has refused to change Leed’s style of play, always trying to be positive and on the front foot, even when faced with superior opposition. It means that sometimes they will get beaten heavily, like they did recently against City, or did at the start of the season against United.
While Leeds fans were completely in support of the Argentinian manager for a very long time, you feel that the tide is slowly turning on him. So much so that the betting odds now have him as their 2nd favourite manager to be sacked next, with odds of 7/2.
We can’t say if Bielsa will be able to turn it around in the next few games, but it does seem that he will need to find a fix soon, or he will be without a job.