Leeds vs Birmingham Prediction: Whites to bounce back against woeful Blues

Leeds’ festive period has not, so far, gone to plan but they should bounce back from two consecutive defeats with a home win over struggling Birmingham on New Year’s Day.

Wayne Rooney’s Blues are without a victory in any of their last four games and they look incapable of getting anything from their difficult trip north to Elland Road.

Team News

Leeds’ first-choice goalkeeper Ilan Meslier remains suspended following his red card against Preston, so Karl Darlow is set to start in goal for the hosts.

Jamie Shackleton and Stuart Dallas are still on the sidelines for Daniel Farke’s men.

For Birmingham, Krystian Bielik is suspended, while Lee Buchanan, Ethan Laird, Alfie Chang and George Hall are all still absent through injury.

Match Odds

Despite losing their last two, Leeds are as short as 1/5 to start 2024 with a victory.

Birmingham, who have won just twice on the road all season, are 10/1 for the win, with the draw 9/2.

Both teams to score, which has landed in three of Birmingham’s last four matches, is available at 11/10, while over 2.5 total goals is on offer at 1/2 and over 3.5 is 5/4.

Leeds to win to nil @ 9/10

Leeds have won three Championship home games this season without conceding and they can make it four with a comfortable success over Rooney’s out-of-form side.

Daniel Farke’s men have been stung by somewhat unexpected festive defeats away to Preston and West Brom – especially as they came on the back of a thumping 4-0 home win over second-placed Ipswich.

That victory over the Tractor Boys fuelled talk of an automatic promotion bid and there is still time for the Whites to muscle in on the top two as they are nine points behind Town, who have shown signs of stumbling of late.

Returning to Elland Road, where they are yet to lose in the league this season, will give them confidence they can get back to winning ways and they will come up against visitors who are completely out of sorts and lacking any sort of identity, yet, under Rooney.

The former Manchester United forward has won just two of his 14 games in charge and there has been speculation he is on the verge of the sack unless results improve quickly.

The Boxing Day 3-1 home loss to Stoke was met with universal derision from fans at the final whistle, while Rooney laid into his own players after a dismal first-half display.

They did pick up a 0-0 draw at home to Bristol City on Saturday but going to Leeds next is a significant step up and it looks like being another difficult afternoon for Blues.

Over 2.5 total Leeds goals @ EVS

Leeds fans will head to Elland Road in anticipation of a much-needed big home win to get their promotion challenge back on track – and they are unlikely to be disappointed.

At home so far this term, the Yorkshire giants have won eight of their 12 league assignments, drawing the other four, and they have racked up 26 goals in front of their own fans with only Southampton (30) and Ipswich (33) managing more at home.

Furthermore, Leeds have scored three or more goals at home five times this season already, and they should make that six against opponents who have shipped 23 on their travels and sit down in 20th in the table with just one win in their last eight matches overall.