Leigh Leopards vs Catalans Dragons Predictions: Follow leaders to edge another win

Leigh Leopards were so close to victory at Warrington Wolves last week but ultimately came up just short and now welcome a Catalans Dragons side brimming with confidence at the top of the table after a thumping home win over Hull KR.

Leigh have won just one of their seven games so far in Super League and will need a huge performance to halt the early Betfred Super League pacesetters who have lost just once and arrive at the Leigh Sports Village on Friday (kick-off 20:00 BST, live on Sky Sports Arena) as the team to chase. Here are my Leigh Leopards vs Catalans Dragons predictions...

Team news

The Dragons travel without two of their most experienced stars. England pair Mike McMeeken and hooker Micky McIlorum are both suspended. Jordan Dezaria is also out in a depleted Catalans pack.

Yacine Ben Abdeslem is called up for the first time, while also included are Loan Castano and Franck Maria.

Leigh’s headline inclusion in their 21-man squad is key forward and skipper John Asiata, who tore his calf in the round-three defeat at St Helens at the start of March.

Darnell McIntosh is also included following his move from Hull FC, but prop Robbie Mulhern is a big doubt despite being named in the squad. Hooker Edwin Ipape is still a couple of weeks away from fitness.

Handicap 3-way Catalans Dragons -8 @ 11/10

Leigh desperately need a win but again the history books do not represent encouraging reading for Leopards fans, whose side have lost nine of their previous 10 meetings with the Dragons.

You have to go back to 2017 to find a Leigh win in fact, and Adrian Lam’s side will need a similar kind of spirited performance to the one that pushed Warrington all the way last weekend in that 16-14 defeat.

I give Leigh a chance in this one, and think it might be very close but I don’t see them winning it – the Dragons defence is just too good, conceding on average just a couple of tries per game in the second best defence in the league.

I’m going to back Steve McNamara’s men to win again, and by more than eight points.

Catalans Dragons to win both halves @ 13/8

This is a very difficult bet to land and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Leigh start well and score first. But I really rate the game management of Steve McNamara sides who always seem to play in his calm, controlling style regardless of the state of play on the scoreboard.

For that reason I’m going to look at the Dragons stealing a half-time advantage and adding to it after the break to win both halves at pretty enticing value. The odds imply a 38.1% probability of the visitors prevailing in each half.

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