Mateusz Klich confirms Leeds United suspicion as Premier League safety beckons - YEP 20/4/22
Anyone who says they're not paying attention to the Premier League table is lying, according to Leeds United midfielder Mateusz Klich
By Joe Donnohue
Leeds United currently sit eight points clear of the Premier
League's relegation zone with six matches remaining this season.
The Whites have claimed ten points from the last twelve
available, with victories over Norwich City, Wolverhampton Wanderers and
Watford. Sandwiched in between those much-needed results was a 1-1 draw with
Southampton at Elland Road to complete the double-figure points haul.
Midfielder Mateusz Klich has featured in each of the last
four matches, often starting in a deeper role than he has typically been used
in recent seasons.
Marcelo Bielsa tended to deploy the Polish international in
a more attacking function, compared to new head coach Jesse Marsch, but Klich
insists he is getting to grips with the new way of playing.
Speaking to the BBC, Klich said: "It's more ball and
zone-orientated instead of man so it is a bit different but we practice every
day, the manager tells you what to do and it gets easier and I think I'm
getting better and better.
"Before Marcelo, everyone had played zonal so it's not
like we'd never played that. Even in the national team, I don't play
man-to-man, I play zonal as well," the 31-year-old added.
Upon Marsch's arrival, the threat of relegation was more
pressing, however with a palatable 32 points accrued and 18 still up for grabs,
Leeds are nearing mathematical safety.
Klich is not resting on his laurels, though: "We need a
couple more points to stay up. We're safe when we're officially 100% going to
stay up," he insisted.
"If someone tells you they don't look at the table,
they do look at the table. We need to focus on ourselves and our games are the
most important ones but if the teams behind us lose games it helps us.
"Everyone looks at the table," Klich added,
confirming the suspicion among football supporters that players do in fact keep
one eye on results of other teams and their respective positions.
This is despite repeated assurances by managers and players
that teams - particularly those embroiled in a race for the title, top four or
those vying to remain in the division - focus on nothing other than their own
fortunes.
The Polish international, who is currently the eldest member
of the playing squad, has gained a reputation for authenticity on social media,
while also expressing his disdain for PR companies who run footballers' Twitter
accounts.
Klich has recently made a comeback to the popular social
media platform after receiving abuse, largely from anonymous accounts, earlier
in the season.
Returning to the fore on and off the pitch, Klich appears
increasingly suited to his tweaked midfield role under Marsch.
