Things have suddenly started looking far brighter for Leeds United after what has been a tense and exhausting battle for Premier League survival over the past few months.
For a long stretch of the season, Daniel Farke’s side looked like one of the teams most at risk of dropping into the Championship. Injuries, inconsistency and difficult fixtures left supporters nervously checking the table every single weekend. But a dramatic turnaround in form since the international break has completely changed the mood around Elland Road.
Leeds are now unbeaten in four matches, and the timing of that run could not have been more important.
It has not been an easy sequence of games either. The Whites battled their way to an impressive win over Michael Carrick’s side in a match many expected to be extremely difficult, before following it up with a hard-fought draw away at Bournemouth — a team that had gone 13 matches unbeaten on home soil. Their latest victory against Burnley at Elland Road pushed Leeds into 14th place on 43 points and gave fans genuine belief that survival is now within touching distance.
However, despite the recent momentum, Leeds are still not mathematically safe from relegation.
That is what makes Monday night’s clash against Tottenham Hotspur such a huge occasion.
By the time Leeds kick off in North London, several of the teams around them in the table will already have played. One of the biggest fixtures involves West Ham United, who face title-chasing Arsenal in a game that could dramatically shape both ends of the table.
If West Ham fail to pick up points against Arsenal, the pressure on them would become enormous — especially if Spurs then go on to beat Leeds.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Jeff Stelling outlined a possible scenario that could leave West Ham fans fearing the worst.
> “Leeds may well be safe by the time they kick off at Tottenham.
> “They could be on the beach or they could be playing with complete freedom.
> “Spurs have won their last five against the Yorkshire team.
> “I have watched Leeds with real admiration in the Premier League this season, but I sense Spurs have been reinvigorated under Roberto De Zerbi.
> “And I think they can take a huge step towards Premier League safety by beating Leeds. I am going Tottenham 2-1 Leeds.”
Stelling’s prediction highlights just how important the weekend could become for every club involved in the relegation picture.
For West Ham, defeat to Arsenal combined with a Tottenham victory would be a nightmare scenario. The Hammers know they are running out of opportunities to pull themselves clear, and facing a title-chasing Arsenal side desperate for points makes their task incredibly difficult.
As for Spurs, Stelling believes the team have found renewed energy and confidence under Roberto De Zerbi. Tottenham have looked sharper in recent weeks and will see Leeds at home as a massive opportunity to move another step closer to securing their own Premier League status.
But from Leeds’ perspective, the biggest danger could actually come from complacency.
If results elsewhere go in their favour before kick-off, there is a risk the players could subconsciously ease off knowing survival is almost secured. That is exactly what Daniel Farke will be desperate to avoid.
Leeds still have work to do, and the manager will want his players fully focused on finishing the job properly rather than relying on other teams to help them. The good news for supporters is that this current Leeds side has shown tremendous character during their recent unbeaten streak.
The mentality, discipline and fight within the squad have improved massively compared to earlier in the campaign. Instead of panicking under pressure, Leeds have started to play with belief and confidence again — something that has transformed their season at exactly the right time.
Fans heading into Monday night will know the opportunity is there to effectively seal survival and finally put months of relegation fear behind them.
And if Jeff Stelling’s prediction proves correct, it could also end up being a disastrous weekend for West Ham in the process.
