Huge additional Leeds United boost expected as blow for relegation rivals is measured
A huge additional Leeds United boost is expected with the extent of a big blow for a relegation rival made clear.
Leeds hauled themselves out of the drop zone and temporarily up to 13th place with Tuesday's 2-1 win at home to Nottingham Forest and the now fifth-bottom Whites face another relegation-battling rival in this afternoon's hosting of 14th-placed Crystal Palace (kick-off 2pm).
The Eagles are one point and two places ahead of Leeds but another big Whites boost is expected this afternoon as Javi Gracia's side are strong favourites to take all three points. Leeds are hovering around the even money mark and no bigger than 23-20 whereas Palace can be backed at just short of 3-1 at 29-10.
The draw is on offer at 5-2 and the extent of a blow that Palace will have to deal with is made abundantly clear in the first scorer market. Palace's talisman striker Wilfried Zaha is out injured and Leeds subsequently have the first four players in the first scorer market which is headed by top scorer Rodrigo at 5-1. Patrick Bamford is next at 13-2, followed by Georginio Rutter and Luis Sinisterra who are both 8s.
In the absence of Zaha, Odsonne Edouard is rated the chief Eagles threat at 17-2 - the same price as no goalscorer - closely followed by Jean-Philippe Mateta who is 9s and the same price as United's Crysencio Summerville. Willy Gnonto is then 21-2, just ahead of Jack Harrison at 12s, fresh from the Whites winger signing a new five-year deal.
Eberechi Eze (14s), Jordan Ayew (17s) and Michael Olise (18s) are rated the other main Palace threats. Sonny Perkins (11s), Sam Greenwood (14s), Brenden Aaronson (18s), Archie Gray (18s) and Weston McKennie (18s) are others fairly prominent in the betting for Leeds.