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Matty Hewitt

National media say Leeds United in 'state of emergency' after Fulham defeat as verdict delivered

A round-up from the national media following Leeds United's defeat to Fulham.

Relegation concerns deepen for Javi Gracia and Leeds United

Harry Poole wrote for BBC Sport : "Leeds United's hopes of avoiding relegation from the Premier League were dealt another blow as Fulham condemned Javi Gracia's side to a third successive defeat at Craven Cottage. Second-half goals from Harry Wilson and Andreas Pereira proved enough to earn victory for the hosts, who reinforced their bid to seal a top-half finish and climbed one place to ninth.

"But for Leeds the loss, accompanied by victory for Leicester City and a point for Everton later on Saturday, means they are just one point above the relegation places in 16th. A quality first-time finish by Wilson, after Illan Meslier had got an unconvincing hand to Willian's cross, broke the deadlock after 58 minutes.

READ MORE: Orta targeted, Bielsa adored, Summerville ignored and Leeds United moments missed

"Pereira then slotted in after Meslier again failed to effectively deal with a cross on a difficult afternoon for the Leeds goalkeeper. Somewhat belatedly, the two goals eventually sparked Leeds into action, and Joao Palhinha's own goal, after Patrick Bamford had redirected the ball with an outstretched leg, offered Leeds hope with 11 minutes remaining.

"But despite a late rally and 10 minutes of stoppage time they were unable to force an equaliser. "I'm worried about everything," said Gracia, whose Leeds side face a crucial game against relegation rivals Leicester on Tuesday.

"We don't have time, in this moment we can't have doubts. We have to believe and try to do it together."

Wilson and Pereira seal Fulham victory to leave nervous Leeds looking down

John Brewin wrote in the Guardian: "Handed the task of untwining what was left by Marcelo Bielsa and Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia briefly looked the man to arrest Leeds’s decline, only for his team to concede a familiar deluge of goals. Letting in 18 goals over five games in April for a return of three points may soon be enough to send him the same way as his predecessors.

"Two highly preventable Fulham goals, goalkeeping errors from Illan Meslier handing Harry Wilson and Andreas Pereira their prizes, left Leeds with a nervous weekend watch of their relegation rivals’s fortunes. Until a late flurry, they looked incapable of stopping the rot.

"Leeds’s next two matches, Tuesday at home to Leicester and then away at Bournemouth, may well decide their fate. And Gracia’s too."

Illan Meslier has a day to forget after TWO costly errors hand Cottagers all three points... with the state of emergency over relegation growing in Yorkshire

Joe Bernstein said in the Daily Mail: "Travelling Leeds fans chanted 'Sack the Board' after two more blunders by goalkeeper Illan Meslier left the club in deep relegation trouble. Meslier, selected by manager Javier Gracia despite conceding 11 goals in his previous two home games, performed well for an hour before he needlessly palmed a Willian cross into the path of Harry Wilson for the breakthrough goal.

"For an encore, the young Frenchman then made the same mistake for a copycat second. This time Antonee Robinson’s centre was diverted by a diving Meslier straight to Andreas Pereira who let the ball hit him and roll over the line.

"The double setback was greeted badly by Leeds supporters who sang the name of former manager Marcelo Bielsa and called for Director of Football Victor Orta to 'get out of our club'."

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