Mighty Leeds Weblog

Leeds United are expected to have a slight psychological advantage over promotion rivals Ipswich Town heading into the final week of the season, but only if they win on Friday night at Queens Park Rangers. By Joe Donnohue Drawing on wisdom and research into penalty shootouts, Leeds could certainly benefit from the EFL's scheduling of theirs and Ipswich's remaining fixtures as it looks increasingly likely to be between those two sides for who takes second place and automatic promotion to the Premier League. It follows Leicester City's eventual five-goal drubbing of fourth place Southampton on Tuesday evening, 24 hours on from Leeds' own return to winning ways with a 4-3 triumph at the Riverside Stadium. The Foxes moved onto 94 points, four clear of second place Leeds and no matter what will enter the final weekend of the campaign ahead of Daniel Farke's men. There is no such guarantee with Ipswich though, as the Suffolk club play twice before the lunchtime kick

BY DECLAN HARTE Leeds United are planning to expand their home stadium to a capacity of 50,000 Leeds United have held talks with relevant stakeholders in the city as the club continues to take steps towards expanding Elland Road. According to iNews, the Whites are working on plans to expand their home stadium to 50,000. The Championship side is currently battling for promotion to the Premier League under Daniel Farke, but their place in the top flight for next year is far from guaranteed. Elland Road has proven an iconic home for the club, with a capacity of 37,890. But 49ers Enterprises, who took over full control of Leeds last summer, are hoping to expand the size of the stadium in the near future. Leeds are beginning plans for the upcoming summer, but are unable to do anything concrete until their league status is secure. Farke’s side currently occupies a place inside the automatic promotion places, but Ipswich Town are only a point behind in third and have a game in

Southampton look set for play-offs with Leicester's thumping win leaving Leeds United and Ipswich Town set to battle for second-place. By Kyle Newbould Russell Martin suggested his Southampton side went into ‘self-preservation mode’ during their dismal 5-0 thrashing at Leicester City. Southampton endured a torrid night at the King Power Stadium with defeat leaving them six points adrift of Leeds United with just two games remaining. Leicester winger Abdul Fatawu was the hat-trick hero on the night, with Wilfred Ndidi and Jamie Vardy also netting on a brilliant evening for the hosts. All of Leicester’s goals were avoidable from Southampton’s point of view as a concerning lack of urgency saw them thrashed. Defeat for Southampton all but ended any hope of a top-two finish, with a vastly inferior goal difference making it almost impossible to catch Leeds. The manner of the defeat will concern Martin, who saw his side carved open all too often. The former Swansea boss has often

Down to earth, quick-thinking, and continuing a rich family tradition – Gray, 17, is making waves at Leeds, and turning heads elsewhere By Ross Heppenstall If the cat was not already out of the bag, it certainly was after Leeds United’s FA Cup fifth-round tie at old adversaries Chelsea last week. Archie Gray, Leeds’s 17-year-old homegrown midfielder, announced himself as a star in the making to a live television audience with a mesmerising performance that belied his tender years. Pitted against Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez in the middle of the park, Gray outshone Chelsea’s £220m duo and was named man of the match. It said everything about his precocious talent. Daniel Farke’s Championship side lost 3-2, yet much of the focus centred on Gray, who is continuing a rich family tradition which saw his father Andy, grandad Frank and great-uncle Eddie play for Leeds before him. Handed his debut by Farke last August, the 6ft 2in teenager has become an increasingly important

Leeds plan to keep £50m Archie Gray and are even considering expanding Elland Road as they prepare for life back in the Premier League By Mark Douglas Daniel Farke was not planning to watch much of Leicester City’s crucial game against Southampton, a match with huge potential consequences for the Championship promotion equation. Long days at Thorp Arch have been a theme of Farke’s reign – he and his backroom team regularly work into the evening – and Tuesday was spent diligently analysing footage of Leeds United’s next opponents Queens Park Rangers. An 8pm kick-off for Leicester’s game would arrive before Farke pulled into his driveway. Farke has done a mightily impressive job at Leeds this season, steadying a ship that was in serious danger of capsizing when he was appointed. Star players were keen to leave and a post-relegation fire sale was being hampered by foolhardy clauses that were hidden in contracts signed in the Premier League. He is a substance over style sort of m

SHOULD Leeds United achieve their cherished aim of automatic promotion back to the Premier League and avoid the dreaded play-offs, then one memorable moment in Middlesbrough will be recalled. By Leon Wobschall It came shortly after the hour mark of a thrilling game on Monday evening when Crysencio Summerville scored with a delicious curler to make it 4-2 and take his goals tally this season to 20. The celebrations in front of the nearby away contingent at the Riverside were akin to an outpouring of emotion and an explosion of joy after a difficult spell in the club’s season. The moment felt undeniably big. In the context of the game, it certainly was with Boro refusing to go away in an epic spectacle, setting up a grandstand finale with a second goal on the night from Emmanuel Latte Lath late on. Boro threw the kitchen sink at Leeds in their bid to get a leveller, but the visitors held out, just, to move back into second spot above Ipswich Town. Leeds can move four points abo