Leeds United managed to move themselves further closer to safety after a 3-1 win over Burnley on Friday night. The Whites now have 43 points, a mark that has secured safety for multiple teams over the decade.
But as things stand, Leeds are not mathematically safe. With Spurs winning and West Ham slipping up this past weekend, there is a huge chance that next week’s games will decide who goes down. The Hammers will face Arsenal, while Leeds United take on Spurs.
After Roberto De Zerbi’s side picked up a win away to Aston Villa, he said that facing Leeds will not be an easy task: “…The crucial thing now is to keep in our heads what the situation was before the Wolverhampton game.
“This is the most important memory to keep in our heads because in football, it’s very easy to change.
“If you lose, you are stupid; if you win, you are a champion. No, we have to find the balance.
“We have to work this week because Leeds is another very tough game, and to remember in ourselves what we have done in the past, in the last month.”
Injury news ahead of Leeds United vs Tottenham clash
Both teams will meet at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next Monday, with real implications for the relegation battle. West Ham and Nottingham Forest will play before Leeds and Spurs kickoff, which could add more pressure to the London club.
Ahead of the game, Spurs already have multiple long-term absentees due to injury including Cristian Romero, Mohammed Kudus, Dejan Kulusevski, Xavi Simons, Wilson Odobert and Ben Davies. Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is a doubt after missing the last four games, while Dominic Solanke’s hamstring injury could rule him out for Monday night, De Zerbi says James Maddison is not ready despite being an unused sub in recent games, and Richarlison picked up a knock against Villa. Good news for the London side is that Destiny Udogie and Pape Matar Sarr are back.
As for Leeds, Ilia Gruev is out for the rest of the season, and Gabriel Gudmundsson seems to be the only major concern. The left back missed the game against Burnley and could be a doubt for Monday night. Noah Okafor and Jaka Bijol returned to the lineup on Friday night, and Farke will be glad to have them back in the team.
READ MORE: Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi makes honest Leeds admission ahead of big clash: “Very easy to…”
Leeds can end season on a high
Other relegation rivals will be in action before Leeds play Spurs next week, which could mean that the Whites could be mathematically safe if things go their way. But the team need to push for more; finishing higher up the table guarantees more prize money they will benefit from in the summer. And most importantly, they carry momentum into their final home game of the season in front of their fans. Simon Jordan recently mentioned that the club have had a ‘successful’ season, and they could make things even better by finishing higher up the table.
