Leeds United were held to a goalless draw by Brentford at Elland Road, earning another point in their battle to stay in the Premier League.
It wasn’t the home win they were after, and the result stretches their league winless run to six games. Still, they avoided defeat and at least added to their points tally.
Their buffer over the teams below could shrink depending on other results, and by the end of the gameweek, Leeds might find themselves firmly under pressure in the relegation fight.
At this stage of the season, their lack of wins is becoming a serious concern. However, Alan Shearer feels it’s important that the home side managed to avoid a defeat on Saturday.
Alan Shearer insists on the importance of the win for Leeds
The former Newcastle United captain has conceded that it was a poor game to watch and there is not much to talk about in terms of the quality on display.
However, he emphasised how crucial it was for Leeds to avoid a home defeat and believes that with fixtures against Wolves and Burnley at Elland Road still to come, the Whites will have enough to stay up this season.
Shearer did concede that Leeds looked nervy against Brentford and seemed that they were unsure whether to defend or have a go against the Bees.
Shearer said on Match of the Day: “It was a poor game, not much to talk about, but if you can’t win the game, then don’t get beaten, and it could be a massive point for Leeds.
“I think that puts them four clear of the drop zone, they’ve got Wolves and Burnley to play at home, and I think another four points will be enough.
“There was definitely nerviness in there; they were edgy at times, they didn’t know whether to commit fully or sit and protect what they had, but in the end, it could be an important point.”
Leeds are feeling the heat
Daniel Farke has already suggested that Leeds might need around seven points from their final seven games to secure their Premier League status.
On paper, a draw against Brentford isn’t a bad result given they’re chasing European football and are notoriously difficult to beat. Still, Leeds would have preferred all three points at home to ease some of the pressure.
Elsewhere, Nottingham Forest face Tottenham later today, while West Ham go up against an Aston Villa side low on confidence.
Premier League Bottom Six – Relegation Battle
| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Leeds United | 31 | 7 | 12 | 12 | 37 | 48 | -11 | 33 |
| 16 | Tottenham Hotspur | 30 | 7 | 9 | 14 | 40 | 47 | -7 | 30 |
| 17 | Nottingham Forest | 30 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 28 | 43 | -15 | 29 |
| 18 | West Ham United | 30 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 36 | 55 | -19 | 29 |
| 19 | Burnley | 31 | 4 | 8 | 19 | 33 | 61 | -28 | 20 |
| 20 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 31 | 3 | 8 | 20 | 24 | 54 | -30 | 17 |
Leeds currently sit four points above the relegation zone, but that gap could be cut to just one by the end of the gameweek if results don’t go their way.
That scenario would heap real pressure on the Whites after the international break, making a win sooner rather than later essential to calm nerves at Elland Road.
Up next, though, is a tough test against a confident Manchester United side, who have lost just once since Michael Carrick took charge in January.
