Charlton vs Leeds Predictions

Charlton were among the early pacesetters in the promotion chase, but they just can’t keep up with Leeds. They’re not the only side to fall away at the top – with the chasing pack likely to slim as the season progresses. With Marcelo Bielsa’s team the standout side in the division, just what can Lee Bowyer do to stop them?

The hosts have taken a hit recently, as the absence of Lyle Taylor has left them toothless up front. The players who were expected to step up have failed to do so. Taylor has scored nearly half of their goals so far, but they are struggling to register any without him after defeats to Birmingham and Wigan.

No one can now doubt the impact that Marcelo Bielsa has had on Leeds. It was evident from their style of play for the last year, but the fact that he led them to a FIFA Fair Play award may be his most momentous achievement to date. Back on the pitch, Bielsa is unlikely to have any doubters, given that his side sit in first place after eight games.

Leeds are looking good for promotion, even in their minor setbacks. They dominated their only defeat of the season and bossed the game, while their fans were gutted by a 1-1 draw with playoff finalists Derby at the weekend. Bielsa is setting new expectation levels, especially in their away games.

The visitors have now won their last five away trips, dating back to their 1-0 success at Derby in the playoffs. They’ve picked up four from four this season, ahead at half-time and full-time in three. They put in complete displays in their first three trips, while they pulled off two goals in the last six minutes at Barnsley to pull off a 2-0 victory.

Bielsa has improved all aspects of the team, including the defence. With four wins to nil in their last five away games in the Championship, they are a fantastically solid unit. The visitors have only conceded four times in their eight games so far, while they will be aiming to produce another shutout against Charlton.

Given how the hosts look goal-shy without Taylor, we are backing them to fail to score on Saturday. Even with the forward, the Addicks would likely struggle, we think Leeds’ defensive quality will edge this clash. We’re backing Leeds to win to nil in this clash. Meanwhile, we’re going for Leeds to win 2-0 having seen under 2.5 goals in six of their last seven league games, while they’ve scored twice in every away game so far.