Gary Neville has claimed that although it would be the "shock of all shocks" should Leeds United beat Manchester City, he believes that Sam Allardyce is capable of producing a "miracle" on Saturday afternoon.
Allardyce takes charge of the first of four games as Leeds interim head coach this weekend with a trip to the reigning champions. The clubs could not be further apart in terms of form and league position.
The Whites conceded 23 goals in April, while Man City have netted 20 times in their last six league matches - averaging more than three goals a game in that time period. Allardyce knows that if he has any hope of keeping Leeds in the Premier League, the goals against column needs to instantly improve.
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And although the game against Man City this weekend may have been written off by many, Neville believes that despite the odds being stacked against Leeds, their new coach may just be capable of producing what would be one of the biggest upsets in Premier League history.
“I haven’t got a clue,” he told the Gary Neville Podcast when asked how he thinks Allardyce will set-up his side to take on Pep Guardiola's team. “I think he’ll look at tonight’s game [Wednesday night vs West Ham], I think he’ll have been watching that very closely. I think he’ll have watched Leeds’ games over the last few games very closely.
“He’ll go with 4-5-1 or he’ll go with 5-4-1. I don’t think there’s any other way. I don’t think he’ll even be thinking on Saturday [that Leeds could win] – of course in his dreams he’ll be thinking he could come here and get a point or somehow get a win.
"That would be absolutely, well, it would shock the world. It would be something that the Premier League could deliver and Sam Allardyce probably could deliver.
"But I don’t think he’ll even be thinking that Saturday is the game where he picks up points. This will be the game where he gets to know his players and where he can develop a spirit. And I’m sure he will be doing some things to develop that spirit in this next 24/48 hours before the game on Saturday.
"But you come here and I think maybe Pep Guardiola will think a little bit more about the game. He’ll think what will Sam Allardyce do and his coaching staff will think what could they do that’s different. How could they surprise us?
"But Leeds are very bad. And have been very bad. They’ve got absolutely no discipline, so you’re thinking what’s he going to do them in 48 hours [to change that] – it would be the shock of all shocks [if they win], but that’s what Sam Allardyce has got to go and try and deliver.
"Because they’re coming to one of the best teams in the world, certainly the best team in the Premier League, and they are ill-disciplined in the way in which they play. They are all over the place – everything you would think a Sam Allardyce team is not – so he’s got to work a miracle in these next few days.”
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