Cardiff vs Leeds Prediction: Farke’s men can get glut of goals

The Championship is back with another cracking fixture as Leeds United continue their quest for automatic promotion with a trip to Cardiff City.

It marks an important moment in the season for Daniel Farke’s men, who have not capitalised on Ipswich Town’s drop off in form. Instead Southampton have moved up to third and are in prime position to steal second spot, with Leeds now four points adrift of the marching Saints.

The promotion race is hotting up, and the Whites will need maximum points this weekend to keep the pressure on those above them. Below we have analysed the game, and come up with a couple of selections for you to consider.

Team News 

There is an outside chance that Aaron Ramsey could return at some point this month as he has now passed the eight-week mark since rupturing a tendon in his knee. Erol Bulut will have to be careful with his return, but he will provide a huge boost to the home side, who were flying before his injury. One man who is more likely to return this weekend is Callum O’Dowda, who has been out for three weeks and missed the 4-0 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup. 

For Leeds United, Patrick Bamford will be desperate to start again having score a wondergoal in the FA Cup in his last appearance and found form in recent weeks. He also started and scored in the 3-0 win over Birmingham City, which has given Farke a selection headache with Joel Piroe and Georginio Rutter his preferred forwards so far this term. 

Match Odds

Cardiff are 4/1 to win this match on home soil, with Leeds the clear favourites at 8/13. A draw can be backed at 12/5, BTTS is 4/5 and over 2.5 goals is the same price. 

Leeds United to win with a -1 handicap @ 9/5

Leeds have enjoyed back-to-back 3-0 wins and 2024 has started with a bang for the Elland Road club. Despite their FA Cup exploits, an instant return to the Premier League will be the only thing that marks this season down as a success, and that task is looking increasingly difficult as the campaign progresses.

However, and I think this about all four of the teams I would call elite at this level, there is a clear gap in quality between them and the rest. Leeds boast one of the strongest squads, man for man, we have ever seen at this level and they would be promotion certainties in any other season. 

With Cardiff suffering a downturn in form, and the 4-0 hammering at Wednesday likely to have dented their confidence, I can see Leeds making their superiority count here. A scoreline like 3-0 could be a real possibility in Wales, so I like the look of the 9/5 price on Leeds to win with a -1 handicap @ 9/5.

Leeds to score over 2.5 goals @ 5/2

With 45 goals scored in 26 league matches so far, Leeds are the fourth-highest scorers in the Championship this term. They’ve scored over 2.5 goals in three of their last five matches and the two they failed to win were poor performances at Preston North End and West Bromwich Albion. 

They boast six incredible attackers, with Bamford and Willy Gnonto now joining the preferred quartet of Dan James, Crysencio Summerville, Piroe and Rutter and if they get going, they could tear Cardiff apart. The Bluebirds were defensively all over the shop at Hillsborough, and they could face another long afternoon if Leeds’ frontmen deliver.

Check out our other Football Betting Tips here. 

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