Sam Allardyce: Leeds have to get something against Newcastle, we can’t lose - The Athletic 11/5/23
By Phil Hay
Sam Allardyce has told his Leeds United players they cannot
afford to lose against Newcastle United on Saturday.
Leeds are 19th in the Premier League on 30 points, two
points from safety with three matches left to play and Allardyce, who lost his
first match as head coach against Manchester City last weekend, sees the game
against Newcastle as crucial to their survival chances.
“I have said to the players and I’ll say it now, when we
come off the field on Saturday, we can’t afford to lose. We must get
something,” the 68-year-old said in his pre-match press conference on Friday.
“We won’t stay up with 30 points. Nobody’s ever going to do
that. We’ve got nine points to go for, we know if we get nine points, which is
a massive ask, we’ll stay up. If we get six we might do. I have to say this at
this moment in time – I want to be still in it when we play Tottenham (on the
last day of the season). That’s what I want. I’ll be very satisfied if when we
play Tottenham we’re still in it.”
Allardyce has also made clear the importance of taking the
lead against Newcastle and to avoid defensive collapses — Leeds conceded 23
goals during the month of April before Javi Gracia was dismissed.
“I’d like to score the first goal if possible. That’s very
important for us on Saturday. Getting the first goal would be a big lift.
“It would help us win the game, I’m not saying we would win
the game, but going a goal down would be a very difficult job I think mentally
for the players to come back from. If that’s the case, they’ll have to try and
do it — but not go daft like they have done before, leave the back door open
and concede two, three or four again.”
Allardyce also said gave an injury update on midfielder
Tyler Adams. When asked his the USMNT midfielder would play again this season,
Allardyce said: “Not that I believe, sadly.”
Adams was forced to undergo surgery on a hamstring injury in
March. The 24-year-old damaged a muscle during a training session ahead of
Leeds’ 4-2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on March 18 and was forced to pull
out of international duty with the USMNT, remaining in England where he went
under the knife.
