Here are the latest Leeds United evening headlines on Friday, April 8.
Hodgson’s aim
Watford manager Roy Hodgson is hoping to drag more teams into the battle to avoid the drop starting with tomorrow’s clash with Leeds United. The Hornets host Leeds in a match that could go a long way to deciding the fate of Hodgson’s side ahead of the remainder of the season.
Leeds currently sit eight points clear of their weekend opponents and could take a giant stride towards survival with a win. But speaking in his pre-match press conference, Hodgson claimed that they are aiming to drag some of the clubs slightly ahead of the bottom four back into the mix.
He said: "The gap between Burnley, Everton, Watford and Norwich is not enormous. And it's a gap, which is one that we could actually do something about and find yourself at the top of that group, rather than the bottom of it.
READ MORE: Leeds United points total to avoid relegation from the Premier League revealed
"But the same applies, of course, for Norwich, as well as for us. We're in a fight together the four of us. And it's our job to try and win that fight and hopefully drag a few more teams into the fight with us during these last eight games."
Seaman’s Leeds verdict
Former England goalkeeper David Seaman believes that Leeds United will be 'safe' from relegation should they beat Watford this weekend. The Whites will be looking to extend the gap between them and the bottom three with a win at Vicarage Road.
Jesse Marsch's side have picked up seven points from their a possible nine available after beating Wolves and Norwich City, before the Whites drew 1-1 with Southampton last weekend. Speaking on the latest episode of the Seaman Says podcast, he claimed that Leeds would be safe with a win over the Hornets.
He said: “Next up is Watford against Leeds. I was watching highlights of the game and to see Phillips come on and get the reception he got. Cooper is back too, Bamford is out but they have got a good strikeforce now.
"But I was really confident until Ward-Prowse stepped up and I was like 'no! Don't give him a free-kick just outside the area' and he produced another belter. If Leeds win this I think they are safe, so I am going to go for a 2-1 Leeds win."
Marsch on other managers
Leeds United manager Jesse Marsch has opened up on his experiences with Premier League managers during his opening month at the club. Marsch has taken charge of five games at the Whites so far and hasn’t been afraid to display his passion on the touchline.
The 48-year-old is set to come up against the oldest manager in Premier League history on Saturday when he takes on Roy Hodgson’s Watford, whom he has great respect for. While Staffordshire native Adrian Heath set the tone for Marsch in the United States for after-game customs in the UK, the American has had to begrudgingly accept the niceties can be quite rewarding despite the desire to dislike and beat his opposite number.
He said: "I would say congenial, maybe too congenial for me, but I appreciate the manager, the respect, I call it a shared misery and the respect for that shared misery in England is pretty strong.
“We had Adrian Heath in the US, he coached at Orlando and then he coached in Minnesota, and he was always really good after the match to say 'come and have a beer' and I hesitantly did it, but found it incredibly rewarding. I want to acknowledge the work other people do. I do respect and appreciate the work other people do in this business.”
Click here to read more from Marsch, including a slightly icy encounter with Dean Smith after the clash with Norwich City.
