Chris Sutton predicts winner of Leeds United showdown v Crystal Palace in Premier League for BBC Sport
Chris Sutton has predicted that Leeds United will make it two wins in a week when they host Crystal Palace at Elland Road in the Premier League on Sunday (9 April).
The Whites returned to winning ways with a hard-fought but thoroughly deserved 2-1 win against relegation rivals Nottingham Forest on Tuesday (4 April), which saw them climb up to 13th in the table and two points clear of the relegation zone.
They host a Crystal Palace side who received a welcome new manager bounce under Roy Hodgson by beating Leicester City 2-1 last Saturday (1 April).
Writing in his latest Premier League predictions column for BBC Sport, Sutton admitted that the Elland Road faithful would be crucial in helping Javi Gracia’s side edge past the Eagles by a 1-0 scoreline.
He said: “Palace not only got a good result in Roy Hodgson’s first game back in charge, they played really well too. The only downside from that win over Leicester is that they lost Wilfried Zaha for a few weeks with injury.
“I am going with Leeds here, though, and I even think they will keep a clean sheet.
“Leeds have taken seven points from the past nine available at Elland Road and the home crowd always helps but, more importantly, they have started scoring again too.”
Back-to-back
Momentum is crucial whenever a club is in a relegation dogfight, and Leeds may have just picked it up at the perfect time.
Despite still lingering just a couple of points above the drop zone, the win against Steve Cooper’s side in midweek, which has been followed by the news that Jack Harrison has signed a new long-term contract at the club, has restored a feel-good factor in West Yorkshire.
With Gracia at the helm, the club have a cool, calm and composed manager who never seems to get too high after a win, but more importantly, never too low after a defeat.
After three points in midweek and against another direct relegation rival, now is the perfect opportunity for the Whites to stretch the gap to the bottom three and ease nerves within the club.
Lose this crunch clash against Hodgson’s side and suddenly, just like that, the pressure will be well-and-truly back on.
This really is a pivotal game in determining Leeds’ Premier League future.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites will reportedly be without four first-team players for their Premier League clash against Crystal Palace this weekend.