Leeds United manager Daniel Farke, Paul Merson in a circular insert
Leeds United turn their focus back to the Premier League this week, with a challenging away day in the Midlands against Aston Villa coming up on Saturday.
Villa edged a 2-1 win at Elland Road in November, and that result proved to be something of a turning point. Shortly after, Daniel Farke adjusted his system, a tweak that helped spark a real shift in Leeds’ season.
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This time, though, it feels like a different proposition. Leeds head to Villa Park in stronger shape, having shown plenty of character in recent months. They’ve become far more resilient on the road and are no longer an easy side to break down away from home.
Leeds will back themselves to get a result in the Midlands on Saturday, and it could prove crucial as Paul Merson feels this weekend could prove hugely consequential in the race to avoid relegation.
Paul Merson insists Leeds United are far from being safe
The former Arsenal star stressed that the Whites have come a long way since the first few months of the season, when they looked almost certain to get relegated.
However, he doesn’t feel they’re safe yet and believes this weekend’s Premier League results will have a huge bearing on the race at the bottom.
Merson insisted that if West Ham beat Bournemouth this weekend, Leeds and a few other clubs will return to the conversation about relegation this season.
He wrote on Sportskeeda: “Leeds United have been amazing in recent weeks. 10 weeks ago, we would have had them as favourites to get relegated.
“But they are now six points clear of West Ham in 18th and have both Tottenham and Nottingham Forest below them.
“I believe Leeds are far from calling themselves safe, though.
“This is a big weekend in the relegation battle. If West Ham get a win at Bournemouth, I expect Leeds and a few other clubs to be dragged back into the battle to avoid the drop.”
Leeds must get something at Villa Park
Aston Villa are sitting pretty in third and firmly chasing a Champions League spot, while Leeds United are battling at the other end of the table to secure their Premier League status. On paper, it seems like a straightforward contest.
But it’s rarely that simple. Villa have shown a few cracks lately, losing two of their last three league games and suffering an FA Cup exit at home to Newcastle. For a team with top-four ambitions, that’s a slight stumble at an awkward time.
Leeds, meanwhile, have responded well after that heavy defeat at Arsenal. They’ve picked up a win over Nottingham Forest, shown real character by fighting back from two down at Chelsea, and progressed in the cup against Birmingham City. There’s renewed belief and resilience about them.
Aston Villa 2025/26 Record: Home, Away & Overall Form
A detailed breakdown of Aston Villa’s Premier League performance,
including matches played, wins, draws, losses, goals for, goals against,
goal difference and points per game.
Category Pld W D L GF GA GD PPG
Home Form 13 9 1 3 19 10 +9 2.15
Away Form 13 6 4 3 18 17 +1 1.69
Overall 26 15 5 6 37 27 +10 1.92
Villa Park has been a tough place to go this season, but it hasn’t been impenetrable. Three defeats and a draw in 13 league games suggest there are opportunities there.
So while the table might heavily favour Villa, Leeds’ recent form offers a different perspective. It wouldn’t be a major surprise if Daniel Farke’s side managed to take something from the game.