Two points dropped
Leeds United would have had Tuesday’s date with Leicester City circled on the calendar for some time. The game against the Foxes, who remain one of the four teams below Leeds in the Premier League table at present, was heaped with pressure but it represented a chance for the Whites to better their situation.
It was an opportunity to take points off a relegation rival and they certainly did that, but the 1-1 draw felt like a huge missed opportunity for Leeds with time running out at the bottom of the table. Leeds were fortunate not to fall behind early in the contest as Youri Tielemans found the back of the net with a fine finish only to see his effort chalked off by VAR.
They rallied well, though, and took the lead through Luis Sinisterra’s headed effort and for a large part of the game they were the better side. But the contest swung in Leicester’s direction in the second half and the Whites' bowing backline finally broke when Jamie Vardy found of the back of the net late in the day.
Read more: Every word Javi Gracia said on Leeds United's draw, Gnonto, substitutions, Meslier and Sinisterra
It was a point that was good enough to snap their losing streak, but ultimately it didn't further their standing in any way, nor did it particularly suit Leicester. The Whites knew they had to win against Dean Smith's side and after having the three points in their hands, they let them slip away.
The tie means it’s still incredibly close at the foot of the division, with Leeds now just two points off the bottom of the table. Leicester are just a point behind them and over the next day or two, United will be watching through their fingers as Everton host Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest take on Brighton at the City Ground.
Of course, given the standard of opposition both Everton and Forest are considered underdogs and the odds are stacked against them achieving a result. But, if one of those teams were to pick up something, Leeds risk dropping either further down the table and that’s before Leicester take on Everton on Monday night.
It’s impossible to say what the best result for Leeds would be at the King Power Stadium, but they must do all they can on Sunday to get the job done against Bournemouth.
Sub shy
It’s fair to say support on the terraces for Javi Gracia was already dwindling after Saturday’s loss to Fulham at Craven Cottage. The head coach’s team selection and in-game decisions drew huge criticism.
The choices to persevere with the likes of Brenden Aaronson and Weston McKennie caused frustration, while his use of Wilfried Gnonto continued to baffle, with the Italian getting just 10 minutes to prove his worth in west London. It was a poor day for the Spaniard, following up on demoralising defeats to Crystal Palace and Liverpool.
However, the crowd actively turned on Gracia at points of the game against the Foxes as his reluctance to make a change in the second half angered. Leeds, who had seen Luis Sinisterra replaced by Crysencio Summerville through injury in the first half, started the second half well and looked capable of opening Leicester up again as they went in search of another goal.
The needle of momentum swung in Leicester’s favour, though, and with every minute that went by they grew more and more dominant as Leeds tired. Aaronson came on to replace Rodrigo, but that would be the last bit of activity in the United dugout.
That meant Gnonto didn’t get a game at all against Leicester, much to the amazement of the home support, who took the opportunity to sing his name at various points of the game. The crowd could also be heard chanting ‘make a sub, make a sub’ when the going was particularly tough for the Whites, but Gracia didn’t bow to such demands.
Quite why Gracia has opted for this stance regarding the Italian is hard to put a finger on and to not use him at all in a game Leeds simply had to win feels very strange indeed. Gracia was understandably asked about Gnonto and his lack of changes after the game by journalists.
“I try to look for the option to substitute another player but I didn’t find the best option in that moment,” he said. “As you say, Adam (Forshaw) can play in the middle, Willy can play up front or on one side.
“We had many options as well. Georgi could play as a striker but in that moment I didn't decide to do.”
Meslier responds
If you’re looking for a positive from Tuesday night’s display, it undoubtedly comes in the shape of Illan Meslier, who performed excellently under the lights in West Yorkshire. The Frenchman has come in for huge amounts of criticism of late and was in desperate need of a strong showing to take him out of the firing line.
The goalkeeper struggled against both Crystal Palace and Liverpool at Elland Road. He did himself no favours at Fulham either, pushing balls out into the path of Fulham players for both of their goals on the day.
As such, there were many who were calling for the 23-year-old to be removed from the starting line-up on Tuesday night, with Joel Robles the man favoured to start between the sticks. Gracia stuck with Meslier, though, and his faith was rewarded with a fine performance against the Foxes.
He had one or two strong moments in the first half as he looked to command his area, but without a doubt his best action of the night was the double save he made to deny Kelechi Iheanacho in the second half. Getting down well to block the initial save, Meslier popped up quickly to ensure he was ready to deal with the loose ball.
Elland Road took a collective intake of breath as Iheanacho collected the rebound, expecting to see the net to bulge, but Meslier stood strong to beat away his effort. The crowd stood to give him a delayed ovation when play came to a halt before singing his song.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t get the clean sheet his performance deserved but his outing was enough to send a message to those who may have criticised him over the last few weeks.
A massive weekend
As mentioned above, Leeds travel to Bournemouth on Sunday afternoon and the pressure to get three points now could not be bigger. They won’t know how the land lies fully after this round of fixtures until Thursday night, but they know they need to snap their winless run and quickly if they are to stay in the Premier League.
A glimpse at the four remaining fixtures to come after this weekend’s trip to the south coast, with Manchester City, Newcastle United, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur to play only adds more emphasis on the game. Leeds found joy by taking the game to Leicester at Elland Road and they simply cannot afford to sit back and be passive against the Cherries.
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