Leeds vs. West Brom: Prediction, Preview & Betting Tips

Leeds United are in impervious form and it's hard to see them losing a game at the minute. West Brom are well capable of an upset on their day, but they're now winless in their last ten games away from home in the Championship, so it's hard to imagine that Elland Road is where they'll break that duck.

The Baggies should be competitive, but Leeds are likely to take the three points here. Leeds 2-0 West Bromwich Albion.

Leeds United are looking to take a huge step towards automatic promotion to the Premier League as they take on West Bromwich Albion in the Championship.

• Date: 01/03/2025
• Kick-off time: 12:30
• Location: Elland Road, Leeds

Leeds United are currently top of the Championship table with 75 points from 34 games. Put simply, Leeds have been far and away the best side in this division this season and are highly, highly likely to be playing Premier League football next season.

The Peacocks have accumulated 2.2 points per game so far, which puts them on course for a whopping 101 points if they can keep it up for the remainder of the campaign, and considering they've played all of Sheffield United, Burnley and Sunderland twice, you wouldn't put it past them.

A total of 101 points would make this team one of the best sides in the history of the division, and with the way they've played this season, they arguably already are. Even outside of their league position and points total, the underlying metrics all underline just how dominant Leeda have been. Their expected goals rate, currently 1.81xG per game, is the best in the league by quite a distance, while their expected goals against rate of 0.84xGA per game is also the best in the entire league. Daniel Farke's side are also chasing a record goal difference tally, with Reading's total of +67 in 2005-06 the benchmark. That total will be tough to beat, but the next highest is +52, and given Leeds are already on +50, you'd back them to beat that fairly comfortably.

This is one of the tougher games left in Leeds' schedule so if they take three points from this one, most onlookers will pretty much accept that promotion is done and dusted - if it isn't already. Leeds are ferocious at Elland Road and after some excellent results in recent weeks, the crowd will be raucous.

West Brom currently sit 5th in the Championship with 51 points from 34 games. The Baggies are trying to seal a playoff spot in their final 12 games of the campaign and as things stand, they have a tough job ahead.

To demonstrate how tight things are, West Brom are only one point clear of Coventry City in 7th, and you would have to go all the way down to QPR in 14th to find a gap larger than six points. The playoff race is regularly a cinematic experience in this league and this season is no different, and as of now, it's very tough to call.

The Baggies were rocked by the departure of manager Carlos Corberán to Valencia in December and even though long-time fan favourite Tony Mowbray has taken his place in the dugout, there is still a greater feeling of uncertainty around the team following the Spaniard's departure.

West Brom did strengthen their prospects by bringing in Southampton striker Adam Armstrong on loan in January, but given goalkeeper Alex Palmer departed to Ipswich Town in the same month, it was a window of give and take.

Tony Mowbray's side are likely to be there or thereabouts come May, and their prospects are enhanced by the fact that other than Coventry, most of the sides below them are the furthest thing from consistent. If Coventry remain on their current tractory, the final playoff place will likely be decided by whoever puts together a late run of results in the final five or six games, and the Baggies will have to hope that it's them.

This game will be televised live to all subscribed UK viewers on Sky Sports Football.

Leeds Team News:

The home side will be without captain Ethan Ampadu who is expected to miss most of the remainder of the season with a knee injury, while Patrick Bamford and Maximilian Wöber remain on the sidelines too.

After such a strong result on Monday night, Daniel Farke could stick with the same starting XI for this one.

Predicted lineup: Meslier; Bogle, Rodon, Struijk, Firpo; Tanaka, Gruev; James, Aaronson, Solomon; Piroe.

West Brom Team News:

The Baggies are set to be without Josh Maja, Semi Ajayi, Karlan Grant and Jed Wallace, all of whom are out injured.

Mason Holgate will likely deputise for the absent Ajayi, in what is likely to be the only change from last weekend's starting XI.

Predicted lineup: Wildsmith; Furlong, Holgate, Heggem, Styles; Mowatt, Molumby; Fellows, Price, Johnston; Armstrong.

Leeds:

Leeds are entering this game in very good form, with four wins and one loss from their last five games. Last time out, goals from Junior Firpo, Ao Tanaka and Joël Piroe resulted in a 3-1 comeback win away at Sheffield United, a result that followed a 2-1 win at home to Sunderland thanks to a late Pascal Struijk brace.

Before that, Leeds hammered Watford 4-0 away from home courtesy of goals from Dan James (X2), Manor Solomon and Piroe, which followed a 0-2 defeat to Millwall in the FA Cup and a 2-0 win away at Coventry, with the goals coming from Piroe and Jayden Bogle.

West Brom:

West Brom's form is mixed, with the Baggies having won two, drawn one and lost two of their last five games. Most recently, goals from Alex Mowatt and John Swift produced a 2-0 win over Oxford United, which was preceded by a 1-1 draw with Millwall and a 0-2 loss to Blackburn Rovers.

Prior to that, goals from Adam Armstrong and Jayson Molumby saw them beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-1, a result that was preceded by a 2-1 loss away at Plymouth after the home side scored two late goals following Molumby's opener.

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