Premier League: Old Red Bull Bosses Lock Horns in Leeds

Leeds United vs Southampton

Two former RB Leipzig coaches in Jesse Marsch and Ralph Hasenhuttl will lock horns in one of the most intriguing matchups in the upcoming Premier League weekend.

Marsch’s Whites are inching closer to safety after claiming back-to-back dramatic wins over Norwich and Wolves before the break.

And Leeds will look to make it three wins on the trot when they face Hasenhuttl’s Saints, who may be drifting into offseason mode as their recent Premier League 2022 results have been trending in a downward trajectory.

Talking Points

Leeds close to safety

Leeds’ Premier League 2022 odds of avoiding relegation are looking good at the moment. With back-to-back last-gasp wins over Norwich and Wolves in mid-March, the Whites are now seven points clear of the relegation zone with eight games left to play.

Marsch was brought in to continue Marcelo Bielsa’s brand of exciting attacking football, and he has delivered thus far. Leeds have continued to play the swashbuckling style that made them a fan favourite last season, and they have also produced some late drama in the form of game-winning stoppage-time goals.

However, the Whites have suffered yet another blow to their attack with Patrick Bamford – who had just made his return to the side – likely to miss the rest of the season with a foot injury.

Daniel James has played the centre-forward position for a good portion of the season, and he will likely return to that role in Bamford’s absence. Meanwhile, young Joe Gelhardt will continue to come off the bench.

But the good news for Leeds is that midfielder Kalvin Phillips and captain Liam Cooper will both be in contention to make their return from long injury absences. The two were already on the substitutes’ bench in Leeds’ win over Wolves, and their presence at the heart of the side will be a huge boost for the Whites.

Meanwhile, Raphinha – who missed Leeds’ latest match as well as Brazil’s recent World Cup qualifiers due to Covid – is expected to return to the side as well.

Saints suffering end-of-season slide

Southampton are safely in 11^th place at the moment, and they might be getting a headstart on their summer break, if their recent results are anything to go by.

Saints have lost three league games in a row: they were hammered 4-0 away to Aston Villa and suffered home defeats to both Newcastle and relegation-threatened Watford. They were also smashed 4-1 by Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

With essentially nothing left to play for this season, Hasenhuttl might be having a tough time motivating his Saints, who rely on their energetic press to get the better of other sides.

But he doesn’t have too many options to shake up his side, so he might be forced to stick with more or less the same starting XI he has fielded for most of the season.

Hasenhuttl will be hoping young Armando Broja can rediscover his goalscoring form. The 20-year-old striker did not start either of Saints’ last two games and has been stuck at six Premier League goals since early February.

Meanwhile, leading scorer Che Adams (seven goals) hasn’t found the net in his last four appearances after a run of three goals in four games.

History

Southampton got the better of Leeds in their first meeting this season at St Mary’s. Saints got a 1-0 win thanks to an Armando Broja goal.

But Leeds still have an overwhelming 14-6 edge over Saints in terms of overall Premier League wins, with seven draws.

Leeds did the double over Southampton last season, which included a 3-0 win at Elland Road. Bamford, Stuart Dallas, and Raphinha all struck in the second half to give the Whites a comfortable win.

Betting Tip

The SBOTOP odds for this match are quite close. Leeds are installed as narrow 2.44 favourites to win at home, while Southampton are not far behind at 2.65. Meanwhile, a draw is 3.55.

Marsch will be keen to continue the positive momentum his side had built up with their back-to-back wins before the break. They will have a bit more to play for than Southampton, who could continue their slide all the way to the end of the season, so that and home advantage will be on their side.

Look for Leeds to come out with a bit more energy than Saints, which should help them get the win they need to further secure their Premier League status for next season.

 

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