Even Big Sam can’t help Leeds at the Etihad

IT’S a big game with implications at both ends of the table today as Leeds head over the Pennines to take on Manchester City.

The match will be screened live on Sky with the 3pm Premier League blackout being overruled in exceptional circumstances.

Pep’s men will have the opportunity to go four points clear of Arsenal at the top of the table and at 1-7 for the win, you’d be hard pressed to suggest any other result despite the arrival of Sam Allardyce (right) at Leeds during the week.

It is around Evens that City emulate the Manchester United side of 1999 and land the treble – and with Erling Haaland breaking records for fun, you’d be brave to bet against it.

The Norwegian was given a guard of honour this week for smashing the Premier League goalscoring record against West Ham with five games left. He is 4-11 to add a 36th strike and just 11-2 to score a hat-trick.

Allardyce has been brought in to save Leeds with four games remaining.

It is a tough run-in as, after City, it is home to Newcastle, away to West Ham and home to Spurs to finish. They are 8-15 to go down and 11-8 to stay up.

Although he lost his ‘never been relegated’ tag when taking West Brom down in 2021, Allardyce is regarded as a survival specialist but has his work cut out this time.

I expect Leeds will end today in the bottom three on goal difference.

The best plays look to be Evens for City to win and four or more goals in the game, while they are 11-10 on the -2 handicap, effectively giving Leeds a two-goal head start.