Things will be looking very bleak for Leeds United this week after they failed to pick up a point in their last two games. And now, their relegation rivals seem to be gaining ground.
On Wednesday night, Nottingham Forest and West Ham got huge results that could shape the rest of their season. There are now three points separating the Whites from the relegation zone, and the upcoming fixtures do not look encouraging.
| Opponent | Home/Away |
|---|---|
| Crystal Palace | Away |
| Brentford | Home |
| Manchester United | Away |
| Wolverhampton | Home |
| AFC Bournemouth | Away |
Daniel Farke’s men have to face Crystal Palace and Brentford before the international break, two difficult fixtures which will pose a problem.
Graham Smyth blasts Leeds United after Sunderland defeat
Tuesday night saw Daniel Farke’s men suffer a disappointing defeat to Sunderland. It was yet another game where the home side saw a lot of the ball and created chances, but ultimately they did not have enough quality in front of goal. Graham Smyth thinks there was no reason for the team to drop points at Elland Road in that game.
“I felt like in the Sunderland game, it’s almost giving Leeds an excuse (the talk about the time-wasting). Because we’re talking about this instead of a game plan that didn’t work, a performance that wasn’t enough, finishing that wasn’t good enough, chance creation that wasn’t good enough, decisions that weren’t good enough and naivety.” Smyth said on the Inside Elland Road podcast.
”I do think this team does have a bit of a problem with naivety. Some of the situations they’ve got themselves into this season when they’ve been ahead late in games and have conceded. Or when they’ve conceded just before the end of a half… Leeds didn’t really have an answer (to Sunderland), I understand why people are talking about it (the time-wasting), and yes, it was frustrating to watch, it was a hate watch that game, it was an abomination of a Premier League game… But do you know what stops all that (timewasting), score the first goal.”
There was no excuse to drop points on Tuesday
Sunderland had won just two games in 2026 before facing Leeds; they had also just halted a losing run just days before. Regis Le Bris’ side were not in form or even as good as Manchester City, so fans cannot really excuse the defeat. The Whites should have at least gotten something out of the game, but everyone seems too focused on the gamesmanship and the time wasting that went on. Leeds United should have been better in the game, and now, their cushion above the relegation zone has almost been wiped out.
