"Anything is possible" for West Ham's next opponents Leeds United under Sam Allardyce.
That's the verdict from Will Jackson, of Leeds Live, who has been speaking to football.london to give us the lowdown on the Whites and what has changed for them since Sam Allardyce took charge earlier this month.
Leeds are the Hammers' next opponents at the London Stadium on Sunday, with David Moyes' men returning to Premier League action after reaching the Europa Conference League final with victory against AZ Alkmaar on Thursday.
READ MORE: Paul Merson makes 'perfect' Leeds United point as he delivers his West Ham prediction
West Ham could secure safety in the Premier League this weekend, possibly even before kicking a ball themselves, if Everton fail to beat Wolves on Saturday afternoon. But even if the Toffees win, the Hammers would confirm their place in the top flight by avoiding defeat against Leeds, who currently occupy third from bottom in the table.
Here's what he had to say about Leeds and what to expect for the clash with West Ham.
How pivotal of a game is this for Leeds United? Would must-win be an understatement?
"Leeds find themselves in an extremely precarious position. They’re one point adrift of safety with two games remaining and depending on the results on Saturday, they could find themselves four points off the pace by kick-off on Sunday and needing points just to avoid being relegated.
"For the Whites, this is do-or-die time. This is the moment to show their heart, character and desire and while beating West Ham is far from straightforward, they know nothing less than a victory will do."
What has changed about Leeds United since Sam Allardyce’s move?
"There’s no doubt about it, Leeds were crashing and burning under Javi Gracia. The Spaniard did a fine job over his first couple of months in charge but results turned very sour very quickly and the 4-1 loss at Bournemouth was damning enough to persuade the board to roll the dice.
"To his credit, Allardyce has managed to shore things up. They’ve been tougher to break down, they look a hell of a lot more organised at the back and the midfield hasn’t been quite as open. They managed to secure a point against Newcastle last time out with an encouraging performance and Allardyce will have them pumped and motivated to build on that this weekend.
"If they could just stop shooting themselves in the foot by making silly errors or needlessly giving away penalties, they’d be alright."
Which players have seemed to have taken to him the quickest and who should West Ham watch out for?
"Allardyce has had the luxury of being able to make full use of Adam Forshaw, who has hardly played this season due to his wretched injury record. Forshaw will almost certainly start against the Hammers and he’ll look to add conviction and solidity in the middle of the park.
"The head coach utilised Robin Koch well in midfield last week, too, while both Luke Ayling and Rasmus Kristensen performed well. It’s a big week for Patrick Bamford, though. The striker received a torrent of sickening abuse on social media after his penalty miss against the Magpies and Allardyce will be challenging him to respond in the best way possible."
How would you rate Leeds United’s chances of survival at this stage?
"Before Allardyce’s appointment, I thought Leeds were gone. They looked absolutely cooked at Bournemouth as they failed to show the fight needed to avoid the drop to the Championship.
"The former West Ham boss seems to have made a positive impact during his first two or three weeks, though, and after the draw against Newcastle, I’m feeling a lot more optimistic. They’ve left themselves a mountain to climb but they took a step in the right direction against Eddie Howe’s side and you’d have to say anything is possible from here on in."
What is the latest team news?
"So, Leeds will be without Luis Sinisterra, Stuart Dallas and Tyler Adams, while Marc Roca has injured a ligament in his knee this week meaning he shouldn’t be involved. Liam Cooper has returned to training this week, though, and while that’s no guarantee that he will be involved on Sunday, his presence on the field would be huge for Leeds."
What is your score prediction?
"I’m being optimistic and leaning into the notion of a West Ham Conference League hangover. I still think it will be tight, but I’m going for a 2-1 away win."
READ NEXT
‘Crying like a kid’ - Pablo Fornals reveals West Ham emotions after winning goal vs AZ Alkmaar
David Moyes responds to AZ Alkmaar crowd trouble as West Ham set up Fiorentina final
Joe Cole slams 'pathetic' AZ Alkmaar fans after West Ham clash in Europa Conference League
West Ham player ratings: Nayef Aguerd stars as AZ Alkmaar win sets up European final in Prague
Every word from Moyes on West Ham vs AZ Alkmaar fan trouble and Europa Conference League final
