Mark Lawrenson predicts Leeds clash v Brighton
Leeds United have been tipped to beat Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League today by Mark Lawrenson.
The Whites are just two points above the relegation zone ahead of their trip to the south coast, with speculation growing about Marcelo Bielsa’s future.
However, the BBC pundit believes that they will achieve only their third league victory of the season on Saturday evening.
Writing in his latest predictions column, Lawrenson backed a 2-0 Leeds win, suggesting the Whites could take advantage of an out-of-form Brighton side.
“It’s been a while since Brighton have won – seven league games to be precise,” he said. “The Seagulls didn’t seem to create a lot of chances when they were beating teams, but the difference is that they were taking the ones they did get.
“Leeds have been struggling a bit too but looked a bit more like their old selves, in the first half anyway, against Tottenham last week. If they carry on improving then they should take the points here.”
Big result
Three points would be a huge boost for Leeds and particularly for Bielsa, who is enduring one of the toughest spells of his Elland Road tenure.
It has not been the start to the season many in West Yorkshire had hoped for, but there have been signs of improvement in recent weeks.
Injuries continue to hamper the Whites, with Patrick Bamford still absent and a shortage of defenders leaving Kalvin Phillips playing as a centre-back against Tottenham last weekend.
A 2-0 win at the Amex Stadium would represent only a second clean sheet of the season for Bielsa’s side.
It could well happen though, as only three teams have scored fewer goals in the Premier League this season than Brighton, who looked particularly toothless in a 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa last weekend.
The Seagulls made a superb start to the season with four victories from their opening five games but are now winless in seven, so Graham Potter will feel a home fixture against a side 17th in the table is a chance for his own team to get back to winning ways.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites must find a way to stop a player who seems to always score against them.