This season, you can never know what to expect from these two sides. So, you could probably do well with some Leeds vs Derby prediction and betting tips. We’re now going to discuss everything about the Championship semifinal duel taking place at the Elland Road on Wednesday, including the form of Leeds and Derby, their injury news, and so on. So, let’s start!
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Leeds
We’ll start this Leeds vs Derby prediction by saying that Leeds owe their success mostly to their manager, Marcelo Bielsa. If it weren’t for him, they would probably be somewhere in the middle of the table. Actually, before the season started, bookies weren’t giving too much chance to this team, but they quickly proved everyone wrong.
At one point of the season, Marcelo Bielsa was getting a lot of bad press for his controversial managerial tactics. The so-called Spygate affair which was revealed after the duel with Derby showed that he was spying on his opponents. This time, he probably won’t be able to do it, but nevertheless, it seems he’s got enough info for the Wednesday’s game.
Of course, it’s not just about the manager. Leeds’ players have been playing very well this entire season. Actually, in one part of the season, Leeds were on the very top. And if it weren’t for their bad form in a final couple of rounds, they would’ve got promoted directly by finishing on the second spot. But, they lost three games in the four final rounds of the season, so they ended up on the third place.
They’re not too great of a team in terms of manpower, with their squad value being much lower than the value of the other three sides from the play-offs. But, they do play very well. And they’ve shown it in the clash with Derby in the first leg, which they won 1:0. Why that’s so important is that they scored an away goal. This means that their chances of advancing to the final seem pretty decent now.
Derby
The team lead by Frank Lampard finished the season at the sixth spot, which is the last one that leads to the play-offs. And they got there after an exciting couple of rounds. They got themselves in a pretty impressive form in the last couple of weeks, which helped them grab enough points to get to the play-offs. Eventually, they finished with only one point more than Middlesbrough.
But, their chances of getting to the final seem very slim. Actually, according to the bookies, they are the biggest underdog for promotion. Their squad just doesn’t seem good enough to see off Leeds or the team from the other semi-final that’s going to play in the final.
Another problem is that Derby are having some serious problems with fitness. There are several players who are struggling with injuries, while the rest are probably feeling a bit tired. Now that we’re on the subject of injuries before you go to Leeds vs Derby betting tips, you should also take a look at the list of absentees from both squads.
Team News
Leeds
- None
Derby
- Ashley Cole (injury)
- Curtis Davies (injury)
- Craig Forsyth (injury)
- Duane Holmes (doubtful)
- Craig Bryson (doubtful)
- Andy King (doubtful)
- Martyn Waghorn (doubtful)
Possible Lineups
Leeds
Casilla – Berardi, Cooper, Ayling, Dallas – Philips, Forshaw, Klitch, Hernandez, Harrison – Roofe
Derby
Roos – Tomori, Keogh, Bogle, Malone – Mount, Johnson, Holmes, Wilson, Lawrence – Nugent
Leeds vs Derby Prediction
Bielsa and his boys know how to handle Derby and I think they’re going to get themselves to the final without too much stress.
Leeds vs Derby Betting Tips
- Under 2.5 Goals @1.86 (1XBET)
- Leeds to Qualify @1.10 (bet365)