Leeds United have surprised several observers in the Premier League this season and Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker are two who have been left shocked.
The Whites sit 16th in the Premier League table at this stage of the season. However, an eight-point gap between them and the relegation zone means they are living reasonably comfortably in the top flight.
| Pos | Club | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Bournemouth | 21 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 34 | 40 | -6 | 26 |
| 16 | Leeds United | 21 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 29 | 37 | -8 | 22 |
| 17 | Nottingham Forest | 21 | 6 | 3 | 12 | 21 | 34 | -13 | 21 |
| 18 | West Ham | 21 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 22 | 43 | -21 | 14 |
| 19 | Burnley | 21 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 22 | 41 | -19 | 13 |
| 20 | Wolves | 21 | 1 | 4 | 16 | 15 | 41 | -26 | 7 |
Leeds were one of the early favourites to go down this season following their promotion, and Daniel Farke’s previous record was used as a yardstick for what could happen in the ongoing campaign.
However, their resilience and performances against the better teams of the Premier League have taken many aback, and Shearer and Lineker are no strangers.
Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker go back on their Leeds prediction
In this week’s Rest is Football podcast, the panel were looking back at their early-season predictions, and Shearer and Lineker had both predicted Leeds to go down.
However, Lineker conceded that, looking at the table, it seems more than likely that Leeds are going to survive in the Premier League this season.
He feels a few more points will more or less guarantee that Leeds will again play in the top flight next season.
Lineker said: “I said relegated, and Alan said relegation just about.
“Currently, they are 16th, but don’t forget the bottom three are somewhat adrift at the moment. If they get 30 points, that would be enough.
“I think they’re going to be fine, they’ve done really well actually, they’ve made their home ground, Elland Road, into a bit of a fortress.”
The former Newcastle striker also conceded that Leeds will have enough to stay up now and admitted that he was extremely impressed how they played against the Magpies the last time they were in Premier League action.
Shearer: “I watched Leeds against Newcastle, I was really impressed with the way they attacked the game and how organised they were.
“I know they lost in the 102nd minute, but I was impressed with Leeds and how they went about their business.
“They will have enough.”
Leeds have no space for complacency
Daniel Farke’s frustration after the Newcastle defeat showed that the Leeds boss is not just happy to compete against the best teams in the league.
Even so, the disappointment was softened by a number of positives. Leeds were seconds away from securing another valuable point on the road after a composed, all-round display that once again underlined their growing resilience.
While the unbeaten did come to an end on Tyneside, there is little to suggest that Leeds United cannot quickly piece together another strong spell of results, particularly given how comfortably they continue to compete with established Premier League sides.
Crucially, performances of this nature are reinforcing the belief that Leeds are unlikely to be pulled into a relegation scrap as the season reaches its decisive stage.
With West Ham United continuing to struggle, the pressure has eased further, allowing the Whites to look ahead with greater confidence towards a secure mid-table finish.
