Premier League: Can Big Sam Shock in Ultimate Mismatch?

Manchester City vs Leeds United

As managerial returns go, there could hardly be a more daunting start.

A trip to the league leaders and reigning champions is difficult enough at the best of times but, when you are a side which has conceded 23 goals in the month of April and collected just four points from a possible 21, the omens are not good.

What’s more, their hosts on Saturday afternoon are flying and have in their ranks a player who has just broken the scoring record for most goals in a Premier League season.

To think, Sam Allardyce chose to come out of retirement for this!

Talking Points

Now I cannot begin this article by not mentioning Erling Haaland who was given a guard of honour by his team-mates, manager Pep Guardiola and the club’s backroom staff after the final whistle on Wednesday night following Manchester City’s 3-0 success over West Ham.

In his debut season in English football, he has set the new marker in just his 31st game and his 35 league goals are also the most by a player in a single campaign in the English top division since Ron Davies netted 37 for Southampton in 1966-67.

Incidentally, Dixie Dean boasts the record with 60 in 39 games for Everton in 1927-28.

As he prepares to face a side with the worst defensive record in the top flight, the Norwegian phenomenon could be forgiven for dreaming of more Premier League highlights.

Yet in Allardyce, Leeds United have appointed a manager who has made a career out of shocking and proving a thorn in the side of the top flight’s finest.

The former Bolton boss has just four games to maintain Leeds’ top-flight status which is no easy task.

He is not lacking in confidence, however, and upon his unveiling as Javi Gracia’s successor on Wednesday, claimed there is no better manager in world football.

As bewildering as it may sound to some, I feel his achievements on a shoestring in the north-west from 1999 to 2007 are a match for any of the current bosses given the gulf in resources.

That gulf will certainly be evident in his first two games (City are followed by Newcastle) as ‘Big Sam’ starts in bold fashion in an attempt to bring back confidence to a team sorely lacking it.

This should be the ultimate mismatch but if anyone can cause an upset, it’s this man.

History

This was a fixture which has been evenly matched over the years, even accounting for City’s decade of dominance.

Overall, they have 48 victories to their name compared to 43 Leeds wins and 18 draws.

Of course, they have not played each other too much over the past two decades until a few seasons ago.

There was a famous Leeds win two seasons ago as a Stuart Dallas double, including a last-gasp winner, sealed them their first ever win at the Etihad Stadium (which City moved into in 2003).

Ferran Torres had equalised for City in a match played behind closed doors due to Covid restrictions.

What made it more impressive was that Leeds played the entire second half with 10 men following the dismissal of Liam Cooper.

Since then, City have won three on the bounce against the men from Yorkshire.

That included a 7-0 rout in the corresponding fixture last season when Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Kevin de Bruyne (two), Riyad Mahrez, John Stones and Nathan Ake were the goal-getters.

Virtually a year ago to the day, title-chasing City hit four without reply at Elland Road – an impressive showing secured by goals from Rodri, Ake, Gabriel Jesus and Fernandinho.

That was the first league double City had managed over Leeds since the 1981-82 season.

Earlier this season, City ran out 3-1 winners at Ellan Road, courtesy of goals from Rodri and Haaland (the man who can’t stop scoring!) before Pascal Struijk netted a consolation as the headlines centred on Haaland becoming the fastest player to reach 20 Premier League goals.

Betting Tip

The SBOTOP Premier League betting odds are as overwhelming as they can be with City available 1X2 @ 1.17 and Leeds out @ 11.00.

The Draw, which would be a bonus for the visitors, would pay out @ 7.00.

And then there’s Asian Handicap odds which include City -2.50 @ 2.20 and Leeds +2.25 @ 1.91.

Another 3-1 City success is on offer @ 9.00.

Given City’s potency in attack and Leeds’ woeful defence of late, you would expect goals in this game and plenty of them.

Options include over 3.75 @ 2.11, total 0-1 @ 7.40, 2-3 @ 2.42 and 4-6 @ 2.09.

I truly can see some but think Leeds will arrive with a dogged defensive plan in mind. Allardyce can barely do anything else given the lack of time he has with the players at his disposal.

 

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