This campaign promised to be so very different for Leeds United after surviving on the final day of last season. Chairman and majority owner Andrea Radrizzani invested into the squad last summer as they looked to avoid a nervy end to the 2021-22 campaign.
The Whites board have spent in the region of £145m after recouping £113m in transfer funds, with ten arrivals since the start of the season. Despite the departures of Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha, Radrizzani set out his hopes for a mid-table finish, ranging from 10th to 15th place.
There's still time to reach that goal, but it's been far from comfortable. Speaking to The Athletic at the start of the season, the Leeds chief said: "The target I set is between 10th to 14th position. If we’re lucky, we are close to 10th or more. If we aren’t lucky, we are 15th. But I think we are in that range. I don’t want to have any more heart-attack risk. I don’t have any doubt that we’ll avoid a situation similar to last season. It’s impossible.”
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As things stand, Leeds are on course for a repeat - whether Radrizzani had anticipated it or not. However, this time round, there's one key difference.
The Whites are one of nine Premier League sides separated by just five points. In previous seasons, one or two sides have been cut adrift at the bottom of the table but that's not the case this time round.
There's plenty time for the relegation picture to change in the coming weeks, with Leeds set to play a number of their relegation rivals, but they must make the most of the opportunity that lies before them. Last year, Jesse Marsch and his men needed a favour from Newcastle on the final day of the season to send Burnley down and keep the Whites in the Premier League.
Javi Gracia and his side have their fate in their own hands and they can ill afford to rely on others for another slice of good fortune. Leeds have shown they're a match for most sides this season, with some performances not necessarily reaping the rewards they deserve, but in the same breath, they need to find a way to turn that around.
But as they say, luck will iron itself out over the course of the campaign. The general consensus is that 40 points is the mark of safety, but with so many teams struggling at the bottom, it's a fair assumption the points needed to stay up will be less than that this season.
36 points has been the average points tally needed to stay in the top flight, but even so, that means Leeds will need to win five of their remaining 12 games. A feat exasperated by the fact they've won just five times in 26 games so far this season.
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