Matchweek 25 of the Premier League begins on Friday as Nottingham Forest travels to take on Leeds in a game that sees 16th place take on 17th.
Leeds are +120 favorites on the moneyline for this one on DraftKings Sportsbook, with a draw available at +230. Fancy a Nottingham Forest upset? They are +240 to pick up three points.
Leeds vs. Nottingham Forest Prediction, Pick
There is a ton on the line in this game when it comes to the relegation battle. Both of these teams are out of the drop zone at the moment, but not by much. Leeds sit in 16th place, six points ahead of 18th-placed West Ham. Nottingham Forest are also six points ahead of the drop zone and are level with Leeds on points and goal difference. The two sides are only separated in the table by the third tiebreaker, goals scored.
This game is crucial for obvious reasons. Whoever wins will be nine points clear of West Ham before the Hammers play their game against Burnley on Saturday. The losers could find themselves only three points clear if West Ham manages to win their game. It’s a true six-point swing as I fancy the Hammers to get the job done against struggling Burnley.
I think Leeds have the advantage here, and a lot of that is due to where this game is being played. Although they struggled in their last home game, a 4-0 loss to Arsenal, Elland Road has been a very difficult place for the opposition to play this season. When you factor in that this game is a standalone match on a Friday night against a relegation rival, I expect the stadium to be electric.
Before the loss to Arsenal last week, Leeds had been on an incredible run. They had only lost one of their last 11 games in all competitions before facing the best team in the country. They picked up some impressive results over that run, especially at home by beating Chelsea and drawing against the likes of Liverpool and Man United. I have no doubt they will be ready to give another big home performance on Friday night.
