STREAM HERE >>> Leeds United vs Bournemouth free stream online EPL Full HD
After eight successive Premier League games without a win, including four straight defeats, the pressure was mounting on the shoulders of Leeds head coach Jesse Match heading into last weekend’s clash with Liverpool at Anfield.
However, the West Yorkshire outfit pulled off a shock result by beating the Reds 2-1, with Crysencio Summerville scoring a dramatic 89th-minute winner on just his second Premier League start to snatch all three points at the death and secure their first win at Anfield since April 2001.
That result helped Leeds climb out of the relegation zone and up to 15th in the Premier League table, just one point and one place behind Saturday’s opponents Bournemouth who have played a game more.
Marsch’s side will now be looking to improve their form at Elland Road, where they have lost eight games since the turn of the year, more than any other Premier League team. Two of those defeats have come in their last two home matches against Arsenal (0-1) and Fulham (2-3) towards the end of last month.
Following the departure of Scott Parker at the end of August, Gary O’Neil made a bright start to his tenure as Bournemouth’s interim boss, winning two and drawing four of his opening six Premier League games.
However, the Cherries have since suffered three successive defeats, including the 3-2 home loss against Tottenham last weekend and they have subsequently slipped into the bottom half of the table
However, Leeds’ form on home soil against Bournemouth bodes well for Saturday’s fixture, as they boast a 100% record against the Cherries at Elland Road, winning all six previous home meetings and scoring 14 goals in the process.
A brace from Kieffer Moore put Bournemouth two goals in front at the Vitality Stadium, but a superb Spurs fightback saw the visitors snatch all three points, with Rodrigo Bentancur netting a 92nd-minute winner to complete the comeback in dramatic fashion and condemn the Cherries to their sixth league defeat of the season.
O’Neil has since taken the positives from their recent dip in form and the 39-year-old will be keen to see his side turn their fortunes around before the World Cup break, with Saturday’s trip to Leeds followed by back-to-back home encounters in the league and EFL Cup against Everton.
However, success at Elland Road could prove challenging for Bournemouth as they have won only one of their last 12 meetings against Leeds – a comfortable 4-1 home victory back in March 2014 when both sides were competing in the Championship.
Leeds winger Luis Sinisterra is ruled out until after the World Cup with a foot injury, while Stuart Dallas (leg), Adam Forshaw (ankle) and Archie Gray (foot) all remain sidelined.
Liam Copper, Tyler Adams and Rodrigo were all doubts heading into last weekend’s game but the trio started at Anfield and they could retain their places in the first XI on Saturday.
Summerville will be hoping to keep his place on the left flank, while Wilfried Gnonto – who turns 19 on Saturday and was handed his Premier League debut off the bench last weekend – will be in contention for another run-out for Marsch’s side.
As for Bournemouth, goalkeeper Neto is set to miss the rest of this year with a thigh injury, so Mark Travers is expected to keep his place between the sticks.
David Brooks (thigh) and Lloyd Kelly (ankle) are also sidelined, although the Cherries are hopeful that the latter can return before the World Cup.
O’Neil used a 3-4-1-2 formation to match up with Spurs last weekend and he may decide to stick with this system against Leeds, with Marcus Tavernier and Jordan Zemura operating as wing-backs while Moore partners Dominic Solanke in attack.
Leeds United possible starting lineup:
Meslier; Kristensen, Koch, Cooper, Struijk; Adams, Roca; Harrison, Aaronson, Summerville; Rodrigo
Bournemouth possible starting lineup:
Travers; Smith, Mepham, Senesi; Tavernier, Cook, Lerma, Zemura; Billing; Solanke, Moore
LEEDS UNITED will be aiming to record back-to-back wins in the Premier League for what would be only the second time this season when they face AFC Bournemouth at Elland Road on Saturday afternoon.
Ahead of last weekend’s visit to Liverpool, the Whites had failed to win any of their last eight league games, and as a result fans were starting to get restless with manager Jesse Marsch.
However, the Leeds chief relieved the pressure that was beginning to mount on his shoulders in spectacular fashion as he steered his side to a famous 2-1 win at Liverpool last Saturday.
STREAM LINKS >>> Stream 1 Stream 2 Stream 3
The Yorkshire club will be hoping that Anfield success will act as a springboard for further improvement when they welcome Bournemouth to Elland Road this weekend.
The Cherries recent form would suggest the new manager bounce they received from interim boss Gary O’Neil is grinding to a halt.
The south coast club were up until fairly recently in the midst of a six-game unbeaten run, but they have since lost their subsequent three league games, the most recent of which saw them throw away a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 at home to Tottenham.
I was only just out when I predicted that Leeds would lose 6-1 at Liverpool last week!
I took a lot of flak from Leeds fans following their win at Anfield but, once again, it was after the event. They were thinking the same as me before the game.
I was pleased for Leeds boss Jesse Marsch when he got that result. I have never met him, and he bigs his team up possibly too much at times after they’ve lost games, but I get why he is always trying to be positive about his players.
That win will buy him a bit of time, not with the club’s owners, but with the Elland Road crowd who were on his back when they lost to Fulham in their last home game.
That goodwill will only last if Marsch can back it up by beating Bournemouth, who were woeful as they chucked away a 2-0 lead to lose against Tottenham last time out.
But it is a good enough reason to be positive about Leeds, and I am going for them to win this one. Unfortunately for them, that usually means they lose.