Leeds United: A title clash against Leicester City?
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00:00 Well, yes, very much so, Lee.
00:02 I mean, obviously, you say that consistency is key, and that's what Leeds have had.
00:05 That's why they're in the position that they're in.
00:07 Yeah.
00:09 But when it comes to the Championship and the Championship trophy, well,
00:15 there's a big game at Elland Road on Friday night, as you've been alluding to in that last section there.
00:20 Leeds-Leicester. Now, of course, in the reverse fixture,
00:23 Leeds managed to beat Leicester City at the King Power Stadium in what was a bit of a turn up
00:29 at that time, because, of course, Leicester were, you know, storming away at that point in the season.
00:33 And then obviously Leeds went there and won, just as they had also done at Portman Road against Ipswich.
00:38 So this being the fixture at Elland Road, you'd fancy Leeds, probably, given their current form
00:44 and especially their home form as well.
00:47 But as you say there, if Leeds were to win, what would that say about the title race?
00:52 And is it possible there could be a switch or Leicester just, even without a win in this game,
00:56 just a bit too far ahead?
00:59 I mean, you know, you might get a bit far ahead of yourself or whatever and you might end up looking foolish after it.
01:04 But I think if Leeds win this weekend, it's very, very much on at six points, you know,
01:08 and there'll still be 12 games left.
01:10 And looking at the run that Leeds are on, the fixtures Leicester have got left,
01:15 they've still got to go to Hull, they've still got to play Southampton, they've still got to play West Brom.
01:19 The two teams, the two squads, I don't think there's an awful lot between them.
01:22 Obviously, as you say, Leeds have already beaten them at the King Power.
01:24 It's funny, Leeds actually won.
01:27 Leicester have only lost two in a row this season, and that was Leeds and Borough.
01:30 And that's obviously what they've got now, Borough and Leeds.
01:32 So can history repeat itself in a funny sort of way?
01:34 But, yeah, if Leeds can get a victory this weekend, it's very, very much on.
01:38 It'll still be very difficult, even if they do, because six points is still a decent gap.
01:41 And the team like Leicester, you know, you'd expect whatever happens this weekend,
01:44 then to have a strong finish to the season.
01:46 But there's definitely every chance of it.
01:48 And that's going to be an absolutely cracking game this weekend, obviously.
01:52 I mean, Ellen Road will be absolutely rocking.
01:55 You know, you don't have to...
01:56 I mean, yes, OK, Leicester just had a setback and stuff, and they're not completely infallible.
01:59 But you look at their points total, it's absolutely amazing.
02:01 It's a record points total.
02:02 And you just go through their team, there's threats absolutely everywhere.
02:05 You know, Vardy, Dewsbury Hall, Mabadidi on 10 goals each.
02:08 Dakar, Dewsbury Hall, 12, Siss, Fatou, who's going to be key against Junior Firpo.
02:12 You know, there's talented players all over the pitch.
02:15 But there is at Leeds, you know, as well.
02:17 I mean, you look at it and we just talked about it.
02:19 You probably have people like Dan James on the bench,
02:21 you know, unless he comes back into the side.
02:23 And it's not just him, there's lots of other people that can come in as well.
02:26 You've got people like Conor Roberts waiting in the wings.
02:28 He's not even had his full debut yet because of Archie Gray's form.
02:30 And, you know, Somerville on fire, Routier, Nonto, obviously, we've talked about.
02:34 And it's Banford who will still be out, but Pirou as well.
02:37 So there's just talent all over the pitch and it's a very, very hard one to call.
02:42 But there's every chance Leeds can get it done.
02:43 I mean, it's quite, I won't say staggered, because I think it's when you think about it, it's probably right.
02:47 But Leeds are pretty strong favourites, they're even money favourites.
02:50 So, you know, they're verging on odds on with some firms, which is a big shout, really,
02:55 bearing in mind how good a side Leicester have been.
02:56 But then when you think about it, why wouldn't they be?
02:59 You know, they're at home where they've been, like, pretty much unbeatable.
03:02 They've won eight games in a row.
03:04 They're playing good football.
03:05 You know, they've got a settled side.
03:06 There's a good vibe around the place.
03:08 So I'm not surprised they're strong favourites, really.
03:09 So every chance they can get it done and there's every chance if they can get it done that the title race is well and truly on.
03:15 I think if Leicester were to go to Leeds and win, it'd be 12 points.
03:18 Obviously, it's going to be six points, nine points or 12.
03:21 And obviously, if they go there and leave with a 12-point margin, then I think the title is basically as good as done.
03:27 I think it probably is, even if it's nine, really, because I don't expect them to drop that many points.
03:31 But six and it's very, very much open.
03:33 And I think there's every chance they can go and do it.
03:36 I mean, they're going to go into it full of confidence, obviously, and it feels like a massive game.
03:40 Also, the thing to say with it is it's obviously changed a lot this weekend with the results we've just had.
03:44 But if Leeds were to get beat or even draw, it would probably very likely change again because, as I said earlier,
03:52 you'd expect Southampton to got Millwall this weekend, St Mary's and Ipswich got Birmingham.
03:56 And you never know in the Championship, but you fully expect both of those two teams to win.
04:00 So if Leeds were to get beat, they'd probably find themselves back and forth.
04:03 But that said, obviously, there'd still be a lot of games left to go and Leeds to play Southampton in the last game.
04:08 So it's not all on this game in terms of promotion.
04:11 Far from it.
04:11 I think the title was done about all on this game.
04:14 But I think if we're going to have a conversation about Leeds being in a title race, then it does hinge on this game and them needing to get three points.
04:20 And I, for one, fully fancy them to do it.
04:23 I think it'd be very, very difficult.
04:24 But I've seen how well Leeds are playing, know what the atmosphere at Ellen Road is like, and it's questions about Leicester, will they bounce back?
04:30 So why can't Leeds do it?
04:32 They've definitely got the team to do it.
04:33 They've done it once, so go and do it again.