Chris Sutton predicts Leeds United vs Bournemouth result for BBC Sport
Chris Sutton has predicted Leeds United to snatch a point when they travel to the south coast to face a resurgent Bournemouth side on Sunday (30 April).
The Whites arrested the slide with a draw at home to Leicester on Tuesday (25 April) after falling to three straight demoralising defeats, but it was an opportunity lost when a win looked vital, and Javi Gracia also has injury issues to contend with.
The Cherries on the other hand are almost safe in a remarkable turnaround under Gary O’Neil and given Leeds’ lack of form Sutton believes they can only hope for a 1-1 draw at best at the Vitality.
Sutton said in his predictions for BBC Sport: “I was at St Mary’s Stadium on Thursday and Bournemouth really impressed me with their performance against Southampton.
“As I’ve mentioned before, I haven’t backed them often this season but they are a really well-balanced side and they should have won by a bigger margin than 2-1.
“Leeds, meanwhile, are in desperate need a win after taking only one point from their past four games. Where will it come from though?
“Javi Gracia’s team are such a patchy side and it’s hard to make a case for them playing well for long enough to win, but they might come up with enough to grab a draw if the Cherries take their foot off the gas.”
Wake up
Even avoiding defeat at Elland Road in midweek didn’t feel encouraging when it was against one of the few teams still below Leeds United in table, and when the visitors could have easily won.
Patrick Bamford could have done the same for the Whites but his late miss is threatening to haunt him if the club end up going down.
It won’t all be entirely his fault, as Marc Roca arguably should have scored moments earlier in that game, and the collective failing over recent weeks (and months) is far greater than one person.
The fact that Luis Sinisterra has been ruled out with injury while Max Wober is still sidelined won’t offer the fans any encouragement whatsoever, especially when Gracia continues to make personnel decisions that only he can see the benefit of.
He’s a football manager for a reason and if it ends up working perhaps he will be proven right, but leaving out Willy Gnonto and bringing on the likes of Brenden Aaronson ahead of him is a plan that few can see the merits of.
And the midfield set up with Roca and Weston McKennie largely chasing shadows in the middle also looks to be a big weakness.
Bournemouth were hammered 4-0 at home by West Ham on 23 April so they are clearly far from unbeatable, and the Whites need a similar sort of performance to inject some hope back into a team that is losing players and points as it comes down to the wire.
In other Leeds United news, a player source has revealed a “strange” update on a situation at Elland Road that has confused everyone.