Watford vs Leeds betting tips, BuildABet, best bets and preview
Football betting tips: Championship
1pt Watford/Draw double chance at 6/4 (General)
If you asked a group of people on New Year's Day who they believed would be top of the Sky Bet Championship table on the Easter weekend, I don't think many would have said Leeds.
The 17-point gap to Leicester has gone - Daniel Farke's men ahead on goal difference. The Foxes may possess a game in-hand but Leeds' charge up the standings has been remarkable.
WHAT. A. HIT. 🚀
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They are unbeaten in 2024, they've conceded three goals. Even more remarkable is that fact that none of those have come from open play.
So, against a side sat in mid-table nothingness, the 8/15 odds are backing a comfortable away win. If this were a usual Saturday 3pm-er, I'd have no issue in agreeing.
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But this is the thing, the timing of this game is hardly of benefit to Leeds.
They had four players involved in Wales' penalty shootout defeat to Poland on Tuesday night - Dan James cruelly missing the decisive spot kick - with Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu playing the full 120 minutes and Connor Roberts limping off injured.
Starting left-back Junior Firpo has been away with the Dominican Republic in Peru - a game that took place in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
The positive is that midfield pairing Ilia Gruev and Glen Kamara played little football in midweek, but it's been a competitive week for over half of this starting XI with a short turnaround.
With that in mind, I'll gamble on the 6/4 for WATFORD/DRAW DOUBLE CHANCE.
Interim boss Tom Cleverley guided them to a crucial victory over Birmingham before the break, so perhaps confidence is high, but I'm focusing on potentially tired legs for the away side.
BuildABet @ 23/1
- Watford 5+ corners
- Patrick Bamford 2+ shots on target
- Ilia Gruev to commit 2+ fouls
- Crysencio Summerville 2+ tackles
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Leeds do still possess quality in attack, so there may be a situation where Watford are chasing the game. That could lead to CORNERS.
PATRICK BAMFORD will continue to lead the line for the visitors, and they've benefitted for his presence in the attack. He's had at least two shots in each of his last six league appearances.
GRUEV has been a star since earning his spot in the XI with the midfielder committing an average of 1.3 fouls per away game.
CRYSCENCIO SUMMERVILLE is best known for his goals - 15 in the league with a further eight assists - but he contributes defensively with 1.6 successful tackles per away game.
Team news
Watford will be without the suspended Wesley Hoedt for Friday night, while full-back Jeremy Ngakia is likely to miss out as he continues recovering from a knee injury.
Ryan Andrews and Jamal Lewis should be fit enough for some involvement despite missing part of the international break through injury.
Daniel Farke may be forced into some rotation for his Leeds side, although their current situation in the title race may see them all keen to make themselves available.
Defender and captain Pascal Struijk remains sidelined through injury though, with Stuart Dallas still a long-term absentee.
Predicted line-ups
Watford XI: Bachmann; Andrews, Porteous, Pollock, Lewis; Kayembe, Livermore; Sema, Bayo, Asprilla; Dennis.
Leeds XI: Meslier; Gray, Rodon, Ampadu, Firpo; Gruev, Kamara; Summerville, Rutter, Gnonto; Bamford.
Match facts
- Watford have lost their last three league games against Leeds, failing to score in each defeat and losing 3-0 in each of the last two (April 2022 and September 2023).
- Leeds have won five of 11 away league games against Watford (D3 L3) and every victory has been under a different manager (O’Leary, Blackwell, Grayson, McDermott, Marsch) while facing a different Hornets boss each time too (Taylor, Boothroyd, Mackay, Zola, Hodgson).
- Watford lost 3-2 at home to Huddersfield Town on Good Friday last year, last suffering consecutive league defeats on that day in 1988 (vs QPR) and 1989 (vs Crystal Palace).
- This is Leeds United’s first league game on Good Friday since 2019, when they lost 2-1 to Wigan at Elland Road despite the Latics going down to 10 men early in the game and the Whites attempting 36 shots.
- Georginio Rutter has 15 assists in open play in the Championship this season for Leeds United, the most of any player. Since Opta has this data recorded (2013-14), the only player with more in a season is Emiliano Buendía for Daniel Farke’s Norwich City in 2020-21 (16).
Odds correct at 0935 GMT (27/03/24)
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