Alan Smith has predicted Jesse Marsch’s Leeds United, Championship winners Fulham and runners-up Bournemouth will be relegated from the Premier League in the 2022/23 season.
Alan Smith says ‘sorry Leeds fans’ as pundit issues relegation prediction
Alan Smith has apologised to Leeds United supporters after backing Jesse Marsch’s side to be relegated from the Premier League, whilst speaking on Sky Sports News (04/08, 16:18).
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The Arsenal hero also believes it will be tough for Scott Parker to keep Bournemouth in the top-flight after securing promotion. He led the south coast side back to the promised land last season as runners-up to Fulham following the Cherries’ two seasons in the second-tier.
Fulham swept the Championship title in 2021/22 with 90 points to Bournemouth’s haul of 88 with a prolific 106 goal attack. Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, emerged from the play-offs triumphant after they beat third-placed finishers Huddersfield Town 1-0 at Wembley.
Alan Smith reluctant to predict all three promoted sides will be relegated
Smith is reluctant to suggest Steve Cooper will join Parker and Marco Silva in enduring an immediate return to the second-tier. He also doubts another of his former sides, Leicester City, will be in the relegation scrap, despite Brendan Rodgers not making any signings yet.
But Smith does feel the sales of Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha warrant Leeds being predicted to be relegated under Marsch, having lost two vital parts of the Elland Road dressing room.
“I hate that [question],” Smith said. “You never know what signings are going to be made, but I think it will be hard for Bournemouth. I do. Fulham, will they? Have they learnt from their lessons? I don’t know. I think they are still going to be flirting [with relegation].
“Then one more, I’m not sure. I don’t just want to say the three promoted clubs. There’s normally one that isn’t involved. So, I can’t think of the third club who might go down. I don’t think [Leicester will], they might have some bad spells in the season.
“But I still think they have enough quality in there. I think Southampton and Leeds are two [who might be]. Obviously, with Phillips and Raphinha [leaving]. I’m going to go Leeds, sorry Leeds fans.”
Jesse Marsch avoided one relegation at Leeds after taking over in 2021/22
Marsch has already avoided one relegation at Leeds after guiding the Elland Road outfit to safety last season. But the American only secured the Whites’ top-flight status on the final day, as he successfully worked to maintain the gap in place after replacing Marcelo Bielsa.
Leeds sat 16th in the table with a two-point margin over the relegation zone when Marsch arrived in West Yorkshire. The club had won just five and drawn eight of their 26 matches until that point, and only took a further four wins and three draws to finish in 17th-place.
Marsch has since said goodbye to two of Leeds’ best stars with Phillips joining Manchester City for £45m and Raphinha moving to Barcelona for an upfront £49m, rising to £55m with add-ons. The Whites will also start the season with seven senior players out with injuries.
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