Ex-Arsenal and Leicester City star Alan Smith says Leeds United have an ‘advantage’ over the Championship’s two other promotion favourites but with a Whites ‘if’.
Former England international striker Smith’s eight years at Arsenal were preceded by five years with Leicester who are facing up to second tier football next season following relegation along with Leeds and Southampton.
The relegated trio are the first three teams in the betting for next season’s Championship title for which Leicester are clear 9-2 favourites under new boss Enzo Maresca despite the departure of James Maddison to Tottenham Hotspur and likely exit of Harvey Barnes to Newcastle United.
Smith, though, feels that joint second favourites Leeds have a big ‘advantage’ in the shape of the “intimidating atmosphere” at Elland Road, if new boss Daniel Farke can get the Whites off to an all important decent start.
Speaking in an interview with Gambling Zone, Smith was asked which team out of relegated trio Leeds, Leicester and Southampton had the best chance of returning to the top flight at the first attempt.
“I would like to say Leicester as they are my old team, but they’ve lost a few good players,” said Smith. “Maddison’s gone and it looks like Harvey Barnes will go. I was reading that the new manager, Maresca, wants to switch to more of a possession-based game, where Leicester have always been a counter-attacking side with Vardy looking to get onto things. Vardy is 36 now. Can he keep going in the rough and tumble of The Championship?
“Leeds have just appointed Daniel Farke. He knows The Championship well from his time with Norwich, but he is another new manager, and we’re not sure how well and how quickly he will settle into the hot seat at Leeds.
“I would say that Leeds have got a slight advantage over Leicester and Southampton because Elland Road is such an intimidating atmosphere – nobody will want to go there, which is something you can’t say about the other two relegated clubs.
“If Daniel Farke can get things together and Leeds can get off to a fast start, that momentum can carry you through the first few months of the season. He’s joined the club quite late, so he’s going to have act quickly in regard to making signings and selling players.”
Smith added: “I hope Leicester can bounce back. Leicester has always been that yo-yo club historically. In recent years the club has achieved some incredible things, winning the title and FA Cup, but when I played for them, they were always up and down. Hopefully they can return to the Premier League next season.”
