By George Overhill

19th Mar, 2023 | 12:10pm

Super Computer predicts Leeds United survival chances after wild 4-2 win at Wolves

A Super Computer has predicted that Leeds United will now finish 15th and comfortably avoid relegation after the drama-filled win at Wolves.

For the second season running, on the exact same date, the Whites came away from Molineux with a massive three points folliowing a wild game, as Javi Gracia’s side went 3-0 up in unlikely fashion before conceding twice on Saturday (18 March).

A red card for home defender Jonny halted their comeback before a stoppage-time fourth made the points safe, amid furious protests from Julen Lopetegui in the opposing dug-out, and Leeds United go into the international break up in 14th place, although just two points from the drop zone still.

According to FiveThirtyEight the result puts the club in with just an 18% chance of being relegated from the Premier League, with Wolves and Everton more at risk, and Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest and Southampton headed for the Championship.

Relief

Even the Toffees are more than twice as likely to go down according to this prediction with a 40% likelihood, suggesting the Whites are suddenly in a very encouraging position.

Clearly there is plenty of work still to do, and not every game is going to play out how it did in the Midlands on Saturday, but that is now seven points from a possible 12 under Gracia and things are certainly looking up.

And the scoring problems that were becoming such a worry just a fortnight ago seem like a distant memory now after six in the past two top flight outings.

Willy Gnonto and Jack Harrison combined for a lovely opener, but it was a major surprise that the score was just 1-0 at the break, as Wolves had numerous chances to equalise with Luke Ayling completely overrun down on the right of the defence.

Max Wober was immense at the back and Illan Meslier held firm, and somehow it was Ayling who was left completely unmarked at the start of the second half to bundle an ugly header past Jose Sa for his first goal since the 3-2 win exactly a year earlier.

Gracia, as he did in his first game against Southampton, again decided to withdraw the dangerous Gnonto first after just an hour, and while the Italian was clearly unhappy it was his replacement Rasmus Kristensen that immediately scored a third, so either the manager is a genius or all the luck was with him.

After Wolves pulled two back Ayling was on the receiving end of an awful challenge from Jonny that got him sent off and changed the momentum, before the home side were left raging as Rodrigo added another off the bench despite a VAR review.

If nothing else this side are now managing to find the net, and if the combination of fight and luck can continue they will surely be a top flight side for another year at least.

In other Leeds United news, the Whites have been named as a possible destination for an “absolutely incredible” young forward this summer.

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