Wayne Rooney Credit: Imago Images
Leeds United are back in action later this evening as they travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United in a major Premier League clash.
The Whites are currently on a six-game winless run in the league, but they’ve still managed to keep themselves clear of immediate danger.
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Both Nottingham Forest and West Ham, who sit below Leeds in the table, picked up points in the last round of fixtures. Even so, Leeds will remain 15th regardless of what happens tonight.
Meanwhile, Tottenhamslipped into the relegation zone after losing to Sunderland on Sunday. Spurs have now lost seven of their last eight league games and are in serious trouble, with Wayne Rooney delivering a bleak assessment of their situation.
Wayne Rooney drops grim warning for Roberto De Zerbi
Tottenham have not won a game since the turn of the year, and were hoping that Roberto De Zerbi’s appointment would galvanise them this weekend.
However, they suffered another defeat and more worrisomely, they did not look like a team who were going to score a goal at the Stadium of Light.
De Zerbi has his work cut out with six games left in the season, and Rooney has insisted that the new Spurs boss needs to identify the players who will keep them in the Premier League as soon as possible.
He stressed that the Spurs stars are now just realising that they are in real danger of relegation after not playing to their potential for months.
Rooney said on BBC Sport: “De Zerbi will be looking at the players, and he needs to find out quickly which players he can trust.
“I have said it all season that the players have not played to the level that they are, and they are starting to realise now that they actually are in danger of getting relegated.
“De Zerbi has to find some answers quickly because they could go [down].”
Leeds cannot waste this opportunity
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Leeds’ six-game winless run in the league hasn’t dragged them into the relegation zone, largely because the teams below them have struggled for consistency.
While Nottingham Forest and West Ham United both picked up points over the weekend, Tottenham’s defeat at Sunderland means Leeds will stay 15th regardless of what happens at Old Trafford.
That said, it’s now on the Whites to take control of their survival push. A couple of wins from their final seven games should be enough to secure their Premier League status.
Getting a result at Old Trafford won’t be easy, but Leeds still have favourable fixtures to come, including matches against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Burnley and Spurs.
Wolves and Burnley look destined for relegation, and Leeds will also fancy their chances against a Tottenham side missing Cristian Romero, especially given how poor Spurs have been at home this season.