Arsenal will be hosting Leeds at Emirates this Sunday with both teams needing a win in this match that could determine the final Premier League table in many ways. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our Premier League odds series, which includes our Arsenal-Leeds prediction and pick we have laid out below.
Arsenal is locked in a dire fight for Champions League football. If they were to win all their remaining games, the Gunners would be in the top four and they would be making a comeback to the biggest club competition in the world. It starts at home versus Leeds this Sunday and they simply need to win. Leeds is in a similar situation in terms of the necessity to win. However, rather than Champions League football, they are fighting for Premier League football next season. They are two points ahead of the relegation zone, but Everton has a game in hand, so Leeds needs positive results until the end of the season.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Arsenal-Leeds Premier League odds:
Premier League Odds: Arsenal-Leeds Odds
Arsenal: (-240)
Leeds: (+550)
Draw: (+390)
Over: 2.5 (-182)
Under: 2.5 (+148)
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Why Arsenal Could Win This Match
The biggest reason Arsenal can win this match is their form. Right now, the Gunners are in the midst of a three-game winning streak. They got wins against Chelsea, Manchester United, and West Ham, all teams from the upper half of the table. Now, they meet relegation-fighting Leeds and at the Emirates, it should be their fourth win in a row. Coach Mikel Arteta just got a new contract, so he should be looking to celebrate that with three points at home.
Article Continues BelowAs said above, Arsenal needs wins until the end of the year. While their biggest game will be in a couple of days, when they play the North London Derby versus Tottenham Hotspur, losing this game would mean a must-win in the Derby on the 12th of May. If they were to win this game and with Liverpool, as expected, taking points off Spurs on Saturday, Arsenal would make a giant leap towards securing that fourth spot.
Lastly, Arsenal is just a much better team than Leeds. Earlier in the season, at Elland Road, Arsenal got a 4-1 win and the only goal Leeds scored was a 75th-minute penalty. Thus, by the sheer quality of the squad, Arsenal is the clear favorite to win this match. Of course, all the implications just amplify the necessity for this win, and the Gunners should be taking this one.
Why Leeds Could Win This Match
Leeds United is one of the sadder stories of this season. Finishing ninth last season, the club lost their star striker Patrick Bamford earlier in the season and now they need to fight to survive in the Premier League. Unfortunately, their next two games are against Arsenal and Chelsea, so their job is made that much more difficult. What is even more striking is that contrary to most relegation-fighting teams, Leeds plays football the proper way, with a lot of attacking intent and while it did cost them a lot, Leeds is still pursuing that type of football.
That preference to play attacking football might be the reason why Leeds has a fighting chance to win this game. Arsenal has been shaky in defense all year long, with the worst goal-conceding tally in the top five teams of the league. Leeds plays in such a way where, if they were to score the opening goal, the floodgates could open up and they would be able to get enough goals to secure a win in this match. That would be a win that could mean Premier League life for them.
Additionally, while Arsenal's form is formidable, Leeds is not too bad as well. After coach Marcelo Bielsa was fired in late February, Leeds has lost only three matches out of a possible eight, notching three wins and two draws in the process. Striker Rodrigo has scored three goals in those three wins, so he might be the guy to look out for in this Leeds setup.
Final Arsenal-Leeds Prediction & Pick
Despite the Leeds awakening in the last few months, Arsenal needs this win so they will not look to drop points. With the aforementioned Spurs match with Liverpool as an opportunity for Arsenal to break away from their cross-town rivals, Arsenal will likely look to kill this game off early and win it comfortably. Our final Arsenal-Leeds prediction is an Arsenal win at their Emirates Stadium.
Final Arsenal-Leeds Pick: Arsenal (-240)