A round-up from the national media following Leeds United's defeat to West Ham.
'It's the hope that kills you'
Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail said: "It is the hope that kills you. For a while here at the London Stadium, relegation-threatened Leeds were brimming with it.
"By the end, hope was replaced with hopelessness - the resignation of what looks likely to follow. When Sam Allardyce was called into rescue Leeds with just four games left to play, he’d have pinpointed this encounter against his former club as must-win.
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"His players, for all their exertions, failed to deliver. As a result, Leeds need a last day miracle.
"Indeed, there was no sugar-coating the situation by Allardyce after the game as he laid the blame squarely at his players."
'Whether Allardyce gets asked to take over at Leeds is another matter entirely'
Simon Stone of the BBC said: The problem for Leeds came in Allardyce's assessment of what went wrong against West Ham. Leeds started brightly, with Rodrigo putting the visitors in front with a goal that, briefly, took them out of the relegation zone.
But they failed to fully capitalise on a decent start and when West Ham got into their groove they were too good. "When it was only 1-0 after 15 minutes, after we had played so well, given we have struggled to keep a clean sheet for a long period of time, I knew it was going to be hard," said Allardyce.
"Our quality at both ends is what we lack, to defend better and create more opportunities. Those two critical areas are particularly disappointing for us and when you are looking for your substitutes to make a difference, none of them did."
"Allardyce says he knows what is wrong at Leeds and has the experience of more than 1,000 games to understand how to put it right. But having won just one point from three games after being brought in to salvage a desperate situation when Javi Gracia followed Jesse Marsch in getting sacked, whether he gets asked is another matter entirely."
'Leeds United's Premier League race is run'
Thom Gibbs of the Telegraph said: "Leeds United’s race is run in the Premier League, barring a minor miracle. This chastening defeat by a West Ham team with nothing to play for domestically leaves Leeds relying on Bournemouth taking something from Everton on the final day.
"Even then Leicester could win twice and relegate Leeds and Everton. In any scenario, Leeds will need a win next Sunday at home to Spurs.
"On this evidence that is the least likely result of all. They were the opposite of what their manager Sam Allardyce usually stands for. Wasteful in front of goal, disorganised at the back and seemingly lacking in motivation.
"Gambling is all the rage in the current Premier League, with the two current model clubs, Brentford and Brighton, run by men who made millions via betting. If Matthew Benham and Tony Bloom are all about tirelessly working the numbers to find an overlooked edge, Leeds appointing Allardyce felt more like chasing lost life savings at 4am in a retail park casino.
"With only four games to turn their listing ship around, one of those against Manchester City, bringing him in always seemed optimistic. He did not seem enormously downbeat after the game, nor was he careful to protect the fragile-looking group who applauded the travelling fans who had remained."
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