Leeds United: Bristol City away next

National World - LocalTV

01/02/2024

Transcript

00:00 Well, speaking of getting back in the Premier League, that leads us neatly onto our final

00:04 question today.

00:05 Bristol City away on Friday night is Leeds' next game in the Championship.

00:10 Leeds could go second with a win.

00:13 That would certainly pile a lot of pressure on Southampton, who are just in amongst that.

00:16 Ipswich are currently ahead as well.

00:18 So yeah, it's a big game that one.

00:22 Bristol City, the sort of teetering around the mid-table playoff places roughly under

00:26 Liam Manning at the moment.

00:28 So, yeah, you'd like to think Leeds would perhaps have too much in that game.

00:32 And obviously, a result there, as I've mentioned, would do absolute wonders in terms of not

00:36 only getting Leeds in a better position at the table, but just the statement it would

00:40 bring to those around them as well.

00:42 Yeah, 100 per cent.

00:43 I think you summarised it brilliantly there.

00:45 And it feels like a must win, really.

00:47 Look, there's still 17 games to go.

00:48 So, you know, there's still a long way to go, really.

00:51 But they've got momentum.

00:52 I know, obviously, it was halted a little bit by the cup draw.

00:54 But in the league, they've got momentum.

00:55 They've really closed that gap down.

00:57 And obviously, just because of the way the fixtures have worked, you know, the fact of

01:01 the matter is, if they win there, they will be in the automatic promotion places.

01:04 Yes, they'll have played two games more than Ipswich and Southampton.

01:07 But I mean, they're both playing on Saturday afternoon and might well slip up the both

01:11 away from home.

01:12 So, you know, you have to wait and see.

01:15 It will pile pressure on them.

01:16 And there's no doubt about that.

01:17 Southampton go to the Royal Firm, Ipswich are away at Preston.

01:19 That won't be easy at all.

01:21 I mean, Leicester are far from out.

01:22 I mean, I know they're clear, but I mean, you always hope and dream you can sort of

01:26 even overhaul them, really.

01:27 But first things first, they need to get into the top two.

01:29 And the bottom line is, if they do win at Bristol City, it will put them there.

01:32 And yeah, I mean, I think you've just got to go there and just hope that the sort of

01:35 class shines through, really.

01:36 It won't be easy.

01:37 I think you've summarised it pretty well with Bristol City.

01:40 They just feel like a real sort of solid championship team, really.

01:44 You know, like, I mean, they haven't scored an abundance of goals.

01:47 They haven't conceded an abundance either.

01:49 I think an important factor is the fact they play on a Tuesday night, sort of as we're

01:53 speaking now.

01:54 And obviously, that does feel like a big advantage for Leeds, obviously, because they'll have

01:57 had a better preparation.

01:58 You know, if one team's had a midweeker and the other one hasn't, it's definitely an advantage

02:02 for the team that hasn't.

02:03 So that should definitely help them.

02:05 There are injuries, obviously, going into the contest.

02:07 So we'll wait and see how that, you know, in terms of who's available and who's not.

02:11 That could be very much key.

02:14 But they will go there as favourites.

02:16 And it feels like now, this is where they've got to really sort of...

02:19 I mean, they've done it already, obviously, strong wins together in terms of close that

02:22 gap.

02:23 But now they've got to just basically keep doing that.

02:24 I mean, I'm not sure Leeds would have to be absolutely perfect as such in terms of winning

02:30 every single game to finish in the top two.

02:31 I mean, I don't think anyone's going to do that, really, from here until the end of the

02:34 season, even a team like Southampton on their own.

02:36 But I'll tell you what, I bet they won't have to be far away from that, you know, in terms

02:40 of like 17 games, what's that, 51 points?

02:42 I bet they're going to need a decent share of that in terms of like winning most games,

02:47 maybe the odd draw, but very, very, very few defeats.

02:50 And they've got to really start stringing them together.

02:53 And really, they've got to go there with no excuses.

02:55 They want to be a Premier League team.

02:57 It's no disrespect to Bristol City, who I say are a solid championship out for, but

03:00 they've got to go there and do the business and pile the pressure on the teams around

03:03 them.

03:04 And you look at the fixtures coming up, there's some big games for Leeds.

03:06 Obviously, you've got Leicester at Ellen Road coming up soon.

03:08 That'll be huge.

03:09 Southampton on the last game of the season stands out as being massive.

03:12 Borough away will be difficult.

03:13 Coventry away will be difficult.

03:14 But these games coming up now, they've obviously got a few away games and, you know, the away

03:18 form has been under the spotlight.

03:19 It has improved of late.

03:20 But now this is like the acid test.

03:21 You know, they've got to go there, get the business done.

03:24 Yes, there's the Cup game on Tuesday night, but forget about that for now.

03:26 Just go in there, go full throttle, try and stand for authority on the game nice and early

03:30 and get there and leave with three points in the top two.

03:33 But that fit, I mean, they're all big, aren't they?

03:35 Obviously, every single game is a big game.

03:36 But I mean, this does feel like a massive game because of the timing of it and the statement

03:39 it can make.

03:40 So fingers crossed I can go in there and do business.

03:42 But it won't be easy.

03:43 It never is in the Championship, as we all know.

Leeds United: Bristol City away next

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