Leeds United caretaker Michael Skubala on Whites' survival chances and main issue in Everton loss - YEP 18/2/23

Caretaker boss Michael Skubala insists Leeds United can get out of trouble, despite dropping into the relegation zone with a 1-0 defeat at fellow strugglers Everton.

By Graham Smyth

The Whites did not produce a performance to match the occasion, allowing the Toffees to leapfrog them along with Bournemouth, who beat Wolves. Seamus Coleman’s goal, which owed a lot to Illan Meslier’s poor positioning, separated the sides at Goodison and sent Leeds down to 19th place. Fans protested against the running of the club during the game with chants calling for the sacking of the board and director of football Victor Orta.

Skubala faced the media at full-time and felt Leeds did enough out of possession but it was a different story when they had the ball.

"A tough place to come, we know it's gonna be a tough game,” he said.

"I thought without the ball we were strong and stood up, I think we needed to be better with the ball and that's the thing we need to work on quite a bit if we're going to start creating more chances. We knew the type of game they play and they're good at it. That's their way to play but I thought we battled quite well. I just think we didn't create enough.”

The winner came in the second half when Coleman made a run down the right and sent a shot inside the near post from an acute angle.

“We've been caught you know, Illan has been caught off his line,” said Skubala.

"Illan has been a huge player for us this season. He's saved us lots of points, but maybe his positioning, I need to look back at it, but maybe his positioning a little bit but he's a top player. But in these games, these things sometimes get you the wins.”

Leeds lost Max Wober at the break to a shoulder injury that he sustained early in the first half and although club captain Liam Cooper was among the substitutes he’s not yet ready to play 45 minutes according to Skubala. Compounding the Whites’ issues at left-sided centre-back, Pascal Struijk experienced ‘fogginess’ in training on Friday and had to move back into the concussion protocol.

But Skubala, who admits he will have to lift the squad from a low ebb after such a disappointing result, believes Leeds have players who are good enough to get themselves out of trouble. He's certain they will.

“They’re good players,” he said.

"We have good players in the club. We have good midfielders, good defenders, good strikers. We have good players. We've just got to get it right and keep pushing and keep moving forward. I'm full of confidence we can get out of it.”