Your Leeds United evening round-up for Monday, December 20.
Lampard fave for Leeds job
Frank Lampard has emerged as a surprise favourite with bookmakers for the Leeds job.
The Chelsea legend has been out of work since being sacked by the Blues but has recently stated his desire to return to management.
The pressure is beginning to mount on Marcelo Bielsa following the Whites’ recent drubbing against Man City and Arsenal, with calls for his dismissal getting louder.
Lampard stoked up a rivalry with Leeds while in charge of Derby in 2018/19 and slammed Bielsa for the infamous ‘spygate’ incident - so would be an intriguing choice for Whites fans.
He is a clear 5/2 favourite with Betfair, ahead of Jorge Sampaoli (6/1), Marcelino (8/1) and ex-Whites midfielder Lee Bowyer (8/1).
Festive fixtures to continue
The festive fixture list will go on as planned despite calls for a ‘circuit-breaker’ pause in English football to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Several games last weekend were lost due to outbreaks at numerous clubs across the country, with high-profile managers like Thomas Tuchel slamming the Premier League for allowing games to continue.
However, at a meeting between all 20 top-flight clubs, it was decided that no fixtures over the intense Christmas schedule will be postponed.
Leeds fined for Chelsea game
Leeds have been fined £20,000 by the FA for failing to control their players against Chelsea earlier this month.
Tensions flared in the dying embers of the Whites’ clash at Stamford Bridge when referee Chris Kavanagh awarded a dramatic injury-time penalty for a foul on Antonio Rudiger.
Jorginho slotted home from the subsequent spot-kick to inflict a 3-2 defeat on Marcelo Bielsa’s strugglers.
Leeds pleaded guilty to an FA charge and accepted their punishment.
