Big Sam is back! Yes, Sam Allardyce, whose last job was overseeing West Brom Albion’s relegation to the Championship two years ago, is the new Leeds manager.
The Yorkshire club is in desperate trouble with only four games remaining. It is above the relegation zone on goal difference, and faces a rampaging Manchester City later today (10pm).
A win for City will give the reigning champion a four-point cushion at the top of the table and see Leeds drop into the bottom three.
The former England manager, who was sacked after one game in 2016 after being caught in a sting operation by The Telegraph newspaper for trying to land an illegal £400,000 deal, has spent the last two years on a sabbatical and doing punditry work.
As confident, or some would say arrogant as ever, Big Sam declared in his first press conference back in the hot seat, that he was as good, if not better, than Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp, and Mikael Arteta.
He goes head-to-head with Guardiola tonight. Leeds’ other games are against Champions League-chasing Newcastle (May 13), fellow strugglers West Ham (May 21) and an out-of-sorts Tottenham (May 28).
At best, Leeds is likely to take just three points, but it may not be a surprise if it fails to get a point.
That could leave the door open for Nottingham Forest or Everton to escape the drop. All three clubs have 30 points. Southampton looks doomed with 24.
Elsewhere, the race to finish in the top four saw a nervy Manchester United concede a penalty in the ninth minute of injury time to lose 1-0 to Brighton.
Despite the defeat, The Red Devils should still clinch a top-four spot.
City (79 points) and Arsenal (78) have already booked their tickets to the Champions League, leaving Newcastle (65), United (63), Liverpool (59) and Brighton with games in hand on the rest of the pack on 55 points, fighting for the last two tickets.
FIXTURES (Malaysian time)
SATURDAY
Bournemouth vs Chelsea (10pm)
Manchester City vs Leeds (10pm)
Wolves vs Aston Villa (10pm)
Tottenham vs Crystal Palace (10pm)
SUNDAY
Liverpool vs Brentford (12.30am)
Newcastle vs Arsenal (11.30pm)
MONDAY
West Ham vs Manchester United (2am)
Fulham vs Leicester (10pm)
TUESDAY
Brighton vs Everton (12.30am)
Nottingham Forest (3am)
