Leeds United midfielder Anton Stach has no doubt what his side need to improve upon to give themselves a chance of escaping their current Premier League relegation battle.
Despite amassing 11 points from their opening 10 Premier League games, Leeds find themselves perilously close to the relegation zone after a heavy defeat against Brighton.
Anton Stach started the game at the Amex Stadium on the bench as he continues to recover from a troublesome rib injury, which has limited his impact for Leeds in recent weeks.
Daniel Farke will be keen to have Stach’s added physical presence in midfield for a must-win game against Nottingham Forest, as Robbie Earle warns Leeds are slipping into trouble in the relegation battle.
Now, Stach has told his Leeds teammates what they need to improve as they look to steer clear of the Premier League relegation scrap.
Anton Stach in action during Burnley v Leeds United - Premier League
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Anton Stach says where Leeds United need to improve to avoid relegation
Speaking to German publication Kicker, Stach warned his teammates that playing well but still losing would not be enough to keep Leeds in the top flight.
While Stach remains confident that Leeds have enough quality in the squad to remain in the top flight, he believes they need to turn their good performances into results to avoid being sucked into a relegation battle.
Asked how he rated Leeds’ chances of staying in the top flight, Stach replied: “You can never predict things, of course, but I rate them highly.
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“You develop a feel for it over time, and in terms of quality, we definitely have the potential to stay in the league.
“But ultimately, you have to get the points first. It doesn’t do much good to play well but still lose. We have to keep at it and get the points we need. I believe we can.”
Leeds United midfielder Anton Stach
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Daniel Farke needs to listen to his star midfielder
Although Farke is yet to feel too much pressure, there is a growing body of supporters within the Leeds fanbase who are frustrated this season.
Farke drew comparisons with Jesse Marsch following his comments after the defeat against Burnley, as he insisted that Leeds did not need to overanalyse the defeat, having played well for much of the game.
The Leeds boss echoed these comments following the loss against Brighton, arguing that Leeds competed with Brighton for long stretches and matched them on time in possession and number of corners.
Regardless of whether this is the case, Leeds still lost the game 3-0. They also dropped points from strong positions against Fulham, Bournemouth and Tottenham.
Farke will hope that Leeds’ luck regresses to the mean and that they eventually get the points he believes their performances deserve. However, if Leeds play well and lose against Forest, the pressure will only increase on the Leeds boss, with the likes of Steven Gerrard waiting in the wings to take over.