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Ricky Charlesworth

Sam Allardyce admits his fingers are crossed as he reiterates his Leeds United final day hope

Leeds United head coach Sam Allardyce admits his side need favours if they are to take a Premier League survival mission to the final day for a second year in a row.

Allardyce picked up his first point since signing a short-term deal for the Elland Road hotseat during a hotly-contested 2-2 draw at home to Newcastle last Saturday.

The Whites have just two matches remaining: West Ham away next Sunday and Spurs at home on the last day.

Read more: Full Leeds injury and suspension list ahead of West Ham trip

They are a point from safety but that could be increased to two if Leicester overcome Liverpool on Monday night.

"I hope it goes to the wire," admitted the 68-year-old.

"All I've said is that when we play Tottenham I hope there's something in it for us. We have to keep our fingers crossed a little bit today or tomorrow that the others don't win.

"We are near that position of let's hope they slip up, but we have to wait to see. It’s not in our hands. It's in theirs. So all we can do is what we did today and next week do it better."

Fellow relegation battlers Nottingham Forest secured a point against Chelsea on Saturday afternoon to restore their three-point lead over Leeds, while Sunday saw Everton go down 3-0 at home to Manchester City. Leicester City, who sit a point and a place behind Allardyce's side, host Liverpool tonight.

Allardyce says if his side are to pull off an escape, the atmosphere in that last game against Spurs could be pivotal. When quizzed on his first experience of Elland Road in the home dugout, he added: "I've always known it's wonderful. I’ve been coming here as a player and as a manager for many, many years, so we needed them and they stuck with us.

"Going 1-0 up, which is the most important thing scoring the first goal, lifted everybody and the atmosphere was brilliant. I thought, ‘you’re glad you’ve come back now, aren’t you?’ I was."

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