For our Leeds vs. Southampton prediction, we're going for a 1-1 draw.
Two sides facing the prospect of relegation to the Championship square off in the Premier League this weekend as Leeds United welcome Southampton to Elland Road.
Leeds United currently sit 19th in the Premier League with four wins, seven draws and twelve losses from twenty-three games this season.
Leeds' campaign has thus far been a damning indictment on the competency of the club's board, with the club's summer transfer strategy proving puzzling at best considering it was tailored around the needs of a manager yet to prove his worth at this level.
In what some will have a argued was an inevitable consequence, Jesse Marsch proved incapable of leading a functional Premier League team and was relieved of his duties following a 1-0 defeat at fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest.
Now, Leeds are faced with a squad designed to fit the requirements of a manager who is no longer in charge of the club and was sacked without an immediate replacement in waiting. As such, Leeds played three games under caretaker charge and took one point from those fixtures, with their most recent game a potentially season defining loss at relegation rivals Everton.
Former Watford manager Javi Gracia has this week been confirmed as the man to succeed Marsch, and while that is by no means a bad appointment it's the culmination of a dishevelled plan by a board looking increasingly not fit for purpose.
Gracia has a monumental job on his hands trying to keep Leeds in the Premier League with their form leaving plenty to be desired having failed to win any of their last ten matches in the league.
The Spaniard has myriad issues of urgency to address, but he desperately needs to get Leeds scoring with the Yorkshire outfit managing just two goals in their last five league games combined.
Not only that, but Gracia is being thrown straight into the firing line as he faces a relegation six pointer in his opening game in charge. A defeat here would be dire for Leeds and would be a second straight loss against a side in the relegation zone. No pressure, then, but they cannot afford to lose here.
Southampton currently sit rock bottom of the Premier League with five wins, three draws and fifteen losses from twenty-three games this season.
The Saints' campaign has been somewhat similar to their opponents, largely a mess, as they enter this game under the guidance of their third manager of the season.
Following the sacking of Nathan Jones in light of an almost comical tenure, interim manager Ruben Selles took charge of the South Coast side at Stamford Bridge last weekend and produced arguably their result of the season.
Southampton emerged 1-0 winners over Chelsea courtesy of a textbook James Ward-Prowse free kick to claim an invaluable three points.
They're still bottom of the table but they sit just three points from safety with a renewed sense of optimism surrounding the club amid Selles' tenure. It remains to be seen just how competent the Spaniard will be at this level, but his career in senior management could not have got off to a better start and if he keeps them up then, well, he'd likely be a manager of the year candidate.
Don’t forget to check out the rest of our previews, tips and offers for this weekend’s action.