Chris Sutton predicts Leeds United vs Fulham result for BBC Sport amid ‘surprised the life out of me’ admission
Chris Sutton hasn’t got much faith in Leeds United after two-straight hammerings but has predicted them to narrow the margin of defeat at Fulham.
Javi Gracia’s side responded to their second-half collapse to Crystal Palace with an even worse defeat – 6-1 following 5-1 – against Liverpool on Monday night (17 April).
The Cottagers had been on a miserable run of their own with five defeats in a row but got back to winning ways at Everton last week (15 April) to shock Sutton, and prompt him to predict a 2-1 win for them on Saturday (22 April).
In his predictions column for BBC Sport the pundit said: “Fulham’s win at Everton last week surprised the life out of me. Where on earth did that come from after four straight league defeats!?
“Marco Silva’s side thoroughly deserved it too, and they will have their confidence back now. That doesn’t make them any easier to read though, and I don’t really know what to expect from them next.
“Leeds, meanwhile, have absolutely fallen to bits. I was a long way out when I predicted they would draw with Liverpool on Monday, but I don’t think many people could have seen them capitulating the way they did.
“They surely cannot concede another five or six, but I really don’t see them keeping Fulham quiet.”
Signs of life?
The timing of Fulham’s return to form, just as the Whites’ has disappeared over a cliff-edge couldn’t be much worse, but moderate encouragement can be taken from the last trip to Craven Cottage.
The 2-0 FA Cup defeat on 28 February came in the midst of a scoring drought that defied believe at times on the night as two goals were ruled out and two screamers won it for the home side despite Leeds United having the better chances.
An ability to find the net hasn’t been so much of an issue in the weeks since, but a new-found total inability to prevent opponents putting them past Illan Meslier is very much a problem.
Having Max Wober available again, as Javi Gracia confirmed in his pre-match press conference on Thursday [Leeds Live, 20 April] should make a difference to that as long as he isn’t rusty after injury.
But there will need to be a far better collective performance from the entire defensive unit, as well as huge improvements from central midfield.
Just two weeks ago the Whites could feasibly have gone into this fixture as favourites, and while the tables have turned in a big way since they doesn’t mean they can turn again if the manager makes the right changes.
In other Leeds United news, Phil Hay has shared the one change that Gracia must make after questioning him in the wake of the Liverpool loss.