Sky Sports pundit David Prutton doubts Marcelo Bielsa will end 2019 on a high, having backed Leeds United to draw 1-1 at Birmingham City on Sunday.
We beat the Blues 1-0 when Pep Clotet’s side travelled to Elland Road in October, with a result that sparked an 11-game unbeaten run for the club.
However, since our seven-game winning streak stumbled to a halt with a 3-3 draw at home to Cardiff City, we have lost 2-1 at Fulham and been forced to require an 89th-minute equaliser to settle for a point against Preston North End.
Our last three games means it is now mathematically impossible for the Whites to end the year with the sole lead atop the Championship table, and Prutton expects we will head into the new decade trailing West Bromwich Albion no matter their result at home to Middlesbrough.
What will the result be at Birmingham?
Win
Draw
Loss
“Birmingham showed good resolve to grab a point at Blackburn on Boxing Day, which is never an easy place to go,” Prutton noted in his column for Sky Sports. “It was important for them to end a run of three straight defeats, too.
“Leeds are in a bit of a slump, at least by their high standards. It’s three without a win now and they did struggle against the Blues last season. I fancy a draw here.”
Birmingham drew at Blackburn on Thursday thanks to a 63rd-minute penalty from Kerim Mrabti, having fallen behind to a spot-kick from Adam Armstrong ten minutes after the break.
Both sides wasted chances throughout the game, with just three shots apiece finding the target despite Blackburn fashioning 11 efforts to Birmingham’s 13.
In other Leeds United news, a second club have entered the race to land a 5 ft 6 Whites man in January.