Ten-man Leeds United's 3-0 defeat to Chelsea tonight has heaped the pressure on Jesse Marsch's men to pick up maximum points against Brighton on Sunday. The hosts went down to Mason Mount, Christian Pulisic and Romelu Lukaku goals with matters not helped by Dan James' 24th-minute red card when the score was 1-0 to the reigning Champions League winners.
The most points the Whites can now finish the season on is 40, while relegation rivals Burnley and Everton, who both have vastly superior goal differences, can accumulate 43 and 45 respectively. The situation could have been worse for United had Everton not been held to a 0-0 draw at already-relegated Watford.
But anything less than victory at the weekend could mean that the Whites will be relegated with a game still left to play. The Elland Road club's awful goal difference means that a loss to the Seagulls would see Burnley, who are currently level on points, become uncatchable, barring a mathematical miracle, should the Clarets win either of their next two games - at Tottenham on Sunday or their game in hand at Aston Villa a week tomorrow.
