If last weekend against Everton was a must-win, the upcoming clash with Southampton is a must, must, must-win.
Leeds United are without victory in three months - the 4-3 triumph over Bournemouth in November. The Whites, sitting 19th after a disastrous run, welcome a rock-bottom Saints side Elland Road with a fresh face in the dugout.
Javi Gracia has one remit upon taking the job: keep Leeds in the Premier League. Currently, United are two points adrift from safety but a struggling, managerless Southampton offer a golden opportunity to gain some momentum.
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Should the Spaniard enjoy a dream start, the Whites could be out of the bottom three by Sunday evening. LeedsLive has profiled the best and worst-case scenarios ahead of a crucial round of fixtures.
A positive outlook...
Obviously, Leeds winning is half the battle when it comes to achieving the ideal weekend. As mentioned, they are two points behind 17th-placed Bournemouth, who take on Premier League champions Manchester City in the evening kick-off.
That sidenote should add extra spice to the six-pointer at Elland Road. Both Leeds and Southampton know they can escape the drop zone with a victory.
In other fixtures, West Ham United host Nottingham Forest while Everton also entertain Aston Villa. Steve Cooper has worked wonders to steer Forest up to 13th as most listed them as relegation certainties at the start of the campaign. The weekend kicks off with Wolves visiting Fulham on Friday night, with Leeds hoping for a home win that would see Julen Lopetegui's side remaining in the relegation quagmire.
A preferable result at the London Stadium depends on whether you believe the Hammers are too good to go down. If the answer is no, the home defeats for West Ham, Everton and Bournemouth - as well as a Leeds win - would move Gracia’s side out of the drop zone by a point.
Look away, Leeds fans...
It does not take a rocket scientist to work out that a Leeds loss would be catastrophic. Apologies to those who dare not even consider the prospect.
Defeat would condemn Leeds to 20th in the table, with Southampton winning back-to-back games for the first time this season. In the unlikely event that Bournemouth, Everton and West Ham beat City, Villa and Forest, the gap to survival increases to four points.
There are still 14 games remaining beyond this weekend but another loss could prove fatal for Leeds’ confidence, especially if they fire another blank. Failing to score in four of the last five league games has frustrated Whites supporters… surely their luck will change against Southampton?
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