Javi Gracia hails Leeds United difference maker and ponders 'crucial' trilogy in Whites bid - YEP 10/3/23

Javi Gracia says Leeds United must maximise the advantage of a Whites 'difference maker' as his side embarks on a particularly "crucial" trilogy of games in the club's survival bid.

Lee Sobot

Fourth-bottom Leeds are only out of the Premier League's relegation zone on goal difference but seven of the club's final 13 games are at Elland Road, starting with Saturday afternoon's showdown with high-flying Brighton.

The eighth-placed Seagulls would overtake fifth-placed Liverpool and fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur if winning their games in hand but Whites boss Gracia says United's fans can genuinely make the difference both home and away in the club's battle to avoid the drop.

"It's crucial for us," said Gracia, asked about how important his side's home form would be and in particular the forthcoming LS11 dates against Brighton, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace. "We know first of all that playing with our supporters is always better. They helped us in the last home game. In my opinion, it was the difference to be able to win the game and I expect the same for the next game, playing at home or playing away.

"When we play away you can see thousands of people supporting you and I want to thank them because they are supporting us a lot and we can feel it. It’s true in the last home game against Southampton that the atmosphere was unbelievable and it was what we needed to get the good result.

"I think we need the fans and they know it. But it’s not something about this moment, it’s about the history, always the fans were really close with this team. At the end of the season when we need the points, then it’s more important for us. It’s something I don’t like to speak about because it seems like if I’m asking something that they don’t do it. What we have to do is try to give them good play, good results, try to give them the reward that they need at this moment with points and good matches."

Pressed on what it was that this afternoon's visitors Brighton did so well, Gracia reasoned: "They are one of the teams playing better. They’re really strong attacking, scoring I think the fifth most with goals scored.

"There is always good balance and you can see in all the games that they always show their quality. They are playing really well and it will be a demanding game for us, for sure. But we trust in ourselves and we have prepared very well for this game."