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We understand that preview writers from rival clubs have been spying on Preview Percy presumably in an effort to establish just how not to write these things. So here, for the final time this season, is the old one with his look at the ultimate in “must win” fixtures against Leeds United...

And so as one of the most unsatisfactory and, let’s face it, bent, seasons in living memory comes to a conclusion, we pitch up at the Ozempic where we will play host to Leeds United.




Kick-off on Sunday is at 4pm with the stadium’s already creaky guest wi-fi system likely to be close to collapse as 60,000 supporters all tune in to keep abreast of events elsewhere. Makes one nostalgic for the days of holding a transistor radio to one’s ear doesn’t it?

So Leeds then. Their current run has seen them go unbeaten since the beginning of March, and their last six has seen them win four and lose two. Their run in was favourable with the four wins including home wins over Burnley (3-1) and Wolves (3-0), with the other two coming at Man Utd (2-1) and at home to Brighton, leaving them up in 14th place with 47 points from 37 played.

They have nine on the injury list, though many of those have been out for quite a long time anyway. Longstaff is out having picked up a hernia, Gudmunsson and Okafor have both seen the last of their season whilst there are doubts over Bogle (thigh), Struijk (groin) and Buonanotte (hamstring), all of whom face fitness tests.

It’s a short look at the visitors as we did them only recently and there’s much to get through in the following paragraphs, starting with the wild and wacky world of Association Football.

And with a burst of speed unprecedented in football disciplinary history the EFL has heard both a hearing AND an appeal in the Southampton spygate case, kicking them out of the play-offs with Middlesbrough going down to face Hull at Wembley. It won’t stop there, mind.

The FA have taken up an interest in the case with the revelation that Saints’ boss Tonda Eckert may have been responsible for ordering the illicit espionage. Meanwhile Eckert stormed out of a press conference having been asked the question “are you a cheat?”. Incidentally, nobody has asked that of Arteta yet, presumably because everyone knows the answer to that one anyway.




It is heartening to see how fast these things can be done when there is a will. Sadly the infamous 115 charges against Man City will take another 50 years whilst the investigation into the free run so willingly donated to Arsenal by PGMOL that would already be under way in many other countries is unlikely ever to get going.

Mind you the bent nature of Arsenal’s so-called win has been a force for good with supporters of all 91 clubs apparently up in arms over the dozens of iffy decisions they got over the course of the season. Was anyone really surprised that the non-red card in their match against Burnley? I guess we’ll have to wait until someone breaks ranks and fesses up in an autobiography before the truth comes out.

And so to us. Well Newcastle away was an object lesson in picking the wrong side. I mean once the change has been made 24 minutes in things did improve but by then we were two down with too much to do. Todibo ended up being sacrificed so we could revert to a system that we should never have abandoned in the first place. Talk about shooting oneself in the foot.

Elsewhere, we had occasion to be grateful for a really truly rare event, that being Stuart Atwell actually getting a decision right, not giving a penalty for an offence that occurred when the ball was not in play.

Historians are currently crawling through the records but, if confirmed, the good people at the Guinness Book of Records will be rewriting the bit on longest career before getting something right. Whatever the reason it means that we do go into this one with the life support machine still going “ping” albeit, very quietly.

The injury news is fairly good as far as we are concerned, with only Traore unlikely to be available for selection. Otherwise there are a few minor knocks about but nothing to write home about as such.




So to the prediction, then. Well I have two scenarios. One is where both our match and that of Tottenham are decided on the merits of the teams involved, with the referees applying the laws of the game fairly and firmly in each match. In that case I can see us winning and would put the £2.50 with which I might have tested PGMOL’s bribery limits, on us to win 2-1 to fulfil our half of the necessary deal.

On the other hand, given the fact that we’ve had Anthony Taylor dumped on us I can see us being 1-0 up in stoppage time with Tottenham being 2-0 down when Taylor gives a decision so bent against us that it’ll make Arsenal’s season look a model of honesty in comparison. Why? Because he can.

So take your pick. Before I go to my summer villa to recover from the season, I should like to thank the lovely Daisy for her stats (and everything else) – I’m willing to bet that the summer window is going to be a bit busier this time around.

Also to Baroness Brady for legging it (only 10 years too late), Mr The Junction for his patience in publishing this nonsense every week, those people who approach me at matches to compliment this column and finally thanks to everyone who reads and or listens to these ramblings, presumably in the forlorn hope that one day something interesting and or informative might turn up.

Keep reading, you never know.

Oh... Enjoy the game!




When last we met at The Ozempic: Drew 2-2 (FA Cup April 2026)

Not much of an indicator as both sides fielded much-changed starting elevens. Leeds took a first half lead when Tanaka’s shot took a deflection past Areola. Both sides had chances – Taty hitting the metalwork – before Kilman’s clumsy challenge gave away a penalty which was converted by Phyllis Calvert-Lewin.

At this point many left but as we entered 11 minutes of stoppage time Fernandes pulled one back, being on the spot as Bowen’s effort came back off the post. Those who left found themselves denied re-entry, something they regretted as Axel D got on the end of a cross to level the scores.

Extra time was no less eventful as Taty and Pablo both had possible winners ruled out for offside and Areola picked up an injury. With Hermansen left out of the squad it was left to 20 year-old rookie Fin Herrick to make his first team debut as the game went to spot-kicks, incredibly saving his first one in the process. Unfortunately, that was as good as it got in the shootout as we went down 4-2.

Other than that it was quite quiet really.

Referee: Anthony Taylor

So you have a match which is one of the two most important matches left in a season already decided by refereeing dishonesty.

Do you appoint one of your incompetent but basically well-meaning officials whose only fault is not having a clue what they are doing, or do you give the match to someone whose whole career has been based on giving wilfully perverse decisions, presumably with one eye on the book he will no doubt inflict on the (semi) literary world at the end of his career?

Have a guess.

Danger Man: Dominic Calvert Lewin

Not nearly as good as they think he is but still has 14 goals this season.

Percy & Daisy’s Leeds Fact Of The Week Type Thing

According to one of those facts listing things, Leeds had rooftop-grazing sheep that helped invent the lift. Normally I would add a few lines of explanation but that’s such a good headline I think I’ll leave it there.

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