Leeds United face another crucial match in their fight for survival as they make the difficult looking trip to Arsenal. The Whites enter the weekend round of matches just two points above the bottom three, and so Jesse Marsch’s side know a result is imperative.
But opponents Arsenal have big aspirations of their own, as they chase a finish in the Premier League’s top four. The Gunners face North London rivals and fellow Champions League chasers Tottenham Hotspur just four days later and so three points could be huge for Mikel Arteta’s side.
FiveThirtyEight, a website that uses data to provide predictions on matches and events, believe that Arsenal are overwhelming favourites for the clash at the Emirates with a 66% of winning, in comparison to Leeds’ 14%. Pundits from across the media have also been giving their views on the upcoming match and so LeedsLive have rounded them up.
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Mark Lawrenson – BBC Sport
Mark Lawrenson of BBC Sport is expecting Arsenal to come out on top. He said: “By the time they play, Arsenal will know how Tottenham got on at Anfield the previous day and whether a win would send them five points clear of Spurs before the north London derby on Thursday.
“Whatever Spurs do, though, Arsenal have just got to look after themselves from here on in. The derby doesn't matter yet - for now, this game against Leeds is their biggest game of the season.
“Leeds have also got plenty to play for, because they have been dragged right into the relegation scrap. They certainly haven't been short of effort since Jesse Marsch took over, but Arsenal showed against West Ham last week that they can scrap for the points when they have to.”
Prediction: Arsenal 2-0 Leeds
Paul Merson – Sportskeeda
In his latest weekly predictions column for Sportskeeda, Paul Merson said: “Four weeks ago, you'd have looked at this fixture and thought what a good game for Arsenal as Leeds looked safe. Now that they are set to play against a team that is fighting for survival, this will be an interesting game.
“Leeds lost 4-0 against Manchester City, but they produced a lot of good moments in that game and could have probably got a positive result if they took their chances. All things considered, Arsenal are a better team and should win this game to get closer to securing a place in the Premier League top four.”
Prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Leeds
Michael Owen – BetVictor
And to make it a full house, Michael Owen of BetVictor is also expecting an Arsenal win. He said: “It wasn’t a dominant win against West Ham last week, but Mikel Arteta won’t care one bit. That’s three massive wins in a row, and the that fourth position is looking more and more likely.
“With Spurs facing that tough trip to Anfield, this is a huge opportunity for Arsenal to pull away from them. A few weeks ago, I thought Leeds were safe. Now, I’m not so sure! With Burnley and Everton picking up some huge wins in recent weeks, the pressure is back on Jesse Marsch’s side.
“The performance against City wasn’t great, they’ll need an improvement here. Arsenal have the habit of unexpectedly dropping points, but I can’t see that here.”
Prediction: Arsenal 2-0 Leeds
