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Oliver Jones

Pundit issues 'rabbit in headlights' fear amid worrying Illan Meslier Leeds United stat

Former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson believes Illan Meslier looks like a 'rabbit in the headlights' after the last two heavy defeats against Crystal Palace and Liverpool.

Whites supporters have been on the French shot-stopper's back after 5-1 and 6-1 defeats at Elland Road over the last two weeks has left them in 16th, just two points above the relegation zone.

Despite having his doubts about Meslier though, the former BBC Sport pundit believes that the Whites will have what it takes to get a draw during their trip down to West London.

READ MORE: 'Crocodiles around us' - Leeds United and rivals on the latest relegation scrap twists and turns

"Fulham won at Everton quite comfortably last time and Leeds were thumped by Liverpool," Lawrenson wrote for Paddy Power in his predictions for this weekend's games.

"It’s the way they’re conceding. I know Liverpool’s goals in general were really, really good but the door was never closed, was it? I’m not blaming him but Illan Meslier looks like a rabbit caught in the headlights at the moment.

"But, actually, I’m going to go for a draw here because the one thing about Leeds is they scrap. Fulham 1-1 Leeds."

In the graphic courtesy of the Athletic, it shows that Meslier has conceded 191 goals since the start of the 2020/21 season, more than 50 more than any other Premier League goalkeeper in the same timeframe.

Coupled with the fact that Leeds are now the first team since Southampton in 1966-67 and 1967-68 to be the first to concede 60 goals in back-to-back top-flight seasons, it's easy to see why Lawrenson has come to this conclusion on the Whites shot-stopper.

Despite that, head coach Javi Gracia was adamant in his pre-match press conference that the performances in recent weeks have been down to the entire defensive unit and not simply Meslier.

"If we've conceded 11 goals in the last two games, it's not because of the goalkeeper."

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