Jesse Marsch hoping last-gasp equaliser against Brighton gives Leeds momentum - Independent 15/5/22
Pascal Struijk’s stoppage-time header cancelled out Danny Welbeck’s first-half opener and moved the Yorkshire club out of the relegation zone.
Mark Walker
Leeds boss Jesse Marsch feels Pascal Struijk’s late
equaliser against Brighton has shifted the momentum in the Premier League
survival battle in his side’s favour.
Substitute Struijk’s stoppage-time header cancelled out
Danny Welbeck’s first-half opener in a 1-1 draw at Elland Road and crucially
clinched Leeds the point needed to climb out of the bottom three with one game
remaining.
Leeds leapfrogged Burnley, who still have a game in hand
after losing at Tottenham earlier on Sunday, and will head to Brentford on the
final day hoping to retain their top-flight status.
“We’re alive right now, regardless of the last day,” Marsch
said. “We just have to fight for any point. Any point gets us a little bit
closer and shifts a little bit of the momentum.
Speaking before Everton’s 3-2 defeat at home to Brentford,
Marsch continued: “We know Burnley have a match in hand, we know Everton have
two in hand with three left. We need some help and then we need to be ready
next weekend to do whatever it takes.”
Against Brighton – one of this season’s success stories
under Graham Potter, Leeds were second best in the first half and appeared to
be heading closer to the trapdoor when Welbeck’s neat finish gave the visitors
a 21st-minute lead.
But, roared on by another full house, Marsch’s side improved
markedly after the break, and could have been level earlier had it not been for
inspired Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.
Struijk’s far-post header in the second minute of added time
was just the second goal Leeds have scored in five matches and raised the roof
at Elland Road.
“It was important,” said Marsch, who insisted he did not
hear a section of the home crowd singing “Sack the board” before Struijk’s
last-gasp equaliser.
“Good for our fans to feel that, good for our team to have
that experience and use that momentum going into the last match.”
Marsch admitted he sensed doubt among some of his players
during the interval.
“I could still see the looks on their faces at half-time
that we weren’t 100 per cent believing that we could do it,” he said.
“In the end they did that really well and they emptied their
tanks and invested so much to get us that point, which could end up being a
massive point for us.”
Brighton boss Potter admitted Leeds were worthy of it after
forcing Sanchez into a second-half masterclass.
“I can’t sit here and say the point wasn’t fair,” Potter
said. “We fought for everything, so did Leeds, which you’d expect.
“It was a hostile environment that we managed as well as we
could, a great experience for our guys, so in the end I’m OK with everything.”
Spanish keeper Sanchez produced world-class saves in either
half to deny Mateusz Klich twice and also Raphinha.
“He did and that’s why you have to say a point is fair,”
Potter added. “It’s Rob’s first season with the crowds and he’ll get better and
better.
“His quality is there for everybody to see. We saw different
sides to his game today, he was tremendous.”