Leeds United have an FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea to think about on Sunday, following a 2-2 draw in the Premier League against Bournemouth.
Sean Longstaff’s late equaliser on Wednesday night earned Leeds a point and took them to the 40-point mark – the proverbial benchmark for Premier League survival.
They are not mathematically out of it, but it would take a catastrophic set of results from here on for Leeds to get relegated back to the Championship this season.
An FA Cup semi-final is on the horizon for Leeds this week, and Gabriel Agbonlahor has made a huge claim about the Whites ahead of the big weekend at Wembley.
Gabriel Agbonlahor insists Leeds’ “fantastic season” will get better on Sunday
Leeds’ performances in the last three games have catapulted them towards Premier League safety, and even Gabriel Agbonlahor cannot stop talking about them.
He pointed out that Leeds are just two points behind a Newcastle United side that spent close to £300m last summer to improve their squad and played in the Champions League this season.
The former striker believes the pressure is off for Leeds after a fantastic Premier League season, and they have nothing to lose against Chelsea on Sunday.
He sees no reason why the Whites cannot beat a Chelsea side that just sacked their second manager this season, and lost their last five games without scoring a goal.
Agbonlahor said on talkSPORT: “Leeds are only eight points behind Chelsea, two points behind Newcastle.
“It’s turning out to be a fantastic season, and there’s no reason why they can’t get at this Chelsea side because the pressure’s on Chelsea, there’s no pressure on Leeds in this semi-final.
“Win or lose, no problem, so sometimes that can work against a team like Chelsea.”
A chance to end a 53-year wait for an FA Cup final
Chelsea haven’t had much joy against Leeds this season; they were beaten 3-1 at Elland Road late last year and then held to a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge in February.
Leeds, for their part, have taken full advantage, picking up four points from a possible six against one of their long-standing rivals.
The Whites have a golden opportunity to end their 53-year wait for an FA Cup final appearance; they last played in this showpiece occasion in 1973.
At the same time, the mood has shifted slightly following Chelsea’s decision to sack Liam Rosenior, a move that’s led some to rethink their predictions heading into Wembley.
Of course, a semi-final is a different challenge altogether, and Chelsea may still have the edge when it comes to players used to high-pressure moments. Even so, their struggles with form, confidence and fitness, along with the managerial shake-up, have raised fresh doubts.
Those earlier meetings will still be in the back of everyone’s mind, and Leeds will go into the game confident they can get the job done. Right now, perhaps more than at any point, they’re being tipped as slight favourites to see off the Blues.
