Points at all costs
Leeds United failed to make the most of Tuesday night’s match against Leicester City. Javi Gracia’s side would have moved three points clear of the drop zone had they held onto their lead but they could only succumb to a 1-1 draw at Elland Road.
It was a hugely frustrating encounter with Leeds extending their winless run to four games and it only serves to pile the pressure on this weekend’s contest on the south coast. Bournemouth are certainly not to be taken lightly given they are six points better off and more than likely looking at another season of top flight football but United need the three points more than ever.
Leeds cannot rely on the poor form of others at the bottom to keep them up. They simply must start picking up points and with five games to go and three of the top five to play, they are unlikely to have a better opportunity to record a win and breathe life into their hopes of survival.
Read more: Leeds United line-up vs Bournemouth as Bamford dropped and Gnonto given the nod
Who replaces Sinisterra?
Sinisterra was the goalscorer on Tuesday night but his evening was cut short as he was forced to limp out of the contest with an ankle injury in the first half. The Colombian was on the end of a hefty challenge, something Gracia was frustrated about and he won’t be involved against the Cherries.
In fact, he won’t be involved again this season with Gracia confirming the news that Sinisterra’s season is over at his press conference on Friday afternoon. Crysencio Summerville was the man chosen to replace the winger off the bench on Tuesday, but it seems the head coach has a choice to make in the build-up to Sunday’s clash.
Summerville fared well against the Foxes and would have every right to feel hard done by if he wasn’t involved from the start. However, might this weekend be the perfect opportunity for Gracia to bring Gnonto back into the frame?
The head coach hasn’t started Gnonto since the win over Wolves in March and he didn’t get on at all on Tuesday night, much to the frustration of those supporters who could be heard singing his name at various points of the game. He’ll have been desperately trying to catch the Spaniard’s eye this week in training in the hope of giving him some food for thought.
Changes up front?
Patrick Bamford’s miss at the death against Leicester City was a bad one and he knew it. The ball came to him quickly inside the six yard box, but with the goal gaping, he simply had to put it away and give Leeds the win they are so desperately in need of.
He looked devastated on the final whistle and it wouldn’t be unreasonable to suggest his confidence may have taken a knock after that. As such, there could be a change of tack up front this weekend, with Rodrigo fit and able to move further forward to play the lone striker role.
Of course, Gracia has other options should he wish to make the change and he has spoken about playing both Gnonto and Georginio Rutter in the role with a strike partner previously.
Cherries flying
A couple of months ago it would have been fair to say Bournemouth looked dead and buried in the Premier League. The Cherries were bottom of the table and staring down the barrel of relegation, just one season after their promotion to the top flight.
However, they’ve well and truly turned a corner and five wins from their last eight, including three-point hauls against Liverpool and Tottenham, have seen Gary O’Neil’s side sail up the table. They now sit 14 th , seven points above the drop zone and while they’re not safe just yet, they look as though they’re almost there.
They’ll be confident of piling the misery on Leeds this weekend and putting even more distance between themselves and the dreaded drop zone.
Goals expected?
Bournemouth may be six points clear of Leeds but they share the same woeful defensive record. In 33 games the pair have conceded 63 goals and that’s the highest total across the top flight.
As such, it seems fair to assume the defending might not be of the highest order this afternoon and that could lead to goals. That point is backed up by what happened the last time the two sides met with Leeds coming from 3-1 down to claim a 4-3 win at Elland Road.
Of course, a lot of water has passed under the bridge since that game in November, but the two sides still have a habit of conceding and that might be the story again this time around.
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