AliousLeeds United responded in style with a gritty 1-0 victory over Fulham at Elland Road on Saturday, a result that preserved their eight-point buffer above the relegation zone.
The hosts dominated large spells of the contest but looked set for a frustrating stalemate until the dying moments. Lukas Nmecha proved decisive in stoppage time, rifling home a dramatic late winner to secure all three points.
The importance of the result was underlined later in the day when West Ham pulled off a surprise away win against Tottenham. However, Leeds’ own success ensured that outcome had little impact on their situation.
Shearer plays down West Ham quality
Scenes of celebration followed the final whistle as Daniel Farke and his players embraced another hard-earned home win, further strengthening belief that Premier League survival is firmly within their grasp.
Former England captain Alan Shearer questioned why West Ham had not shown the same level of fight more consistently, referencing the resilience they displayed in their win over Spurs. He acknowledged that their determination was ultimately rewarded with a late goal and noted a clear improvement from their previous defeat to Wolves.
However, Shearer was keen to stress that one performance does not suddenly make West Ham a strong side. Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, he said:
“Where’s that fight been? Why can’t that happen every week?
“You’ve got to roll your sleeves up, and they did that. It was a massive improvement on what I saw at Wolves, but that doesn’t mean they’re a good team — they’re not. At least they were willing to compete and battle, and they came out on top.”
While Tottenham’s difficulties have left them glancing nervously over their shoulder after 22 league games, Leeds are now in a far more secure position and can begin to look up the table.
Despite West Ham’s unexpected win, the Whites still enjoy an eight-point advantage over them, although they now trail Spurs by just two points.
Leeds’ recent run has been encouraging, with only one defeat in their last nine matches, and even that loss at Newcastle required two late goals and a goalkeeping error.
As a result, Leeds can realistically shift their focus toward a mid-table finish rather than being dragged into a relegation scrap. While caution remains essential, Daniel Farke now has genuine reason to be more ambitious about his side’s prospects for the remainder of the Premier League season.
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