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Leeds United’s promotion push currently hangs in the balance. Defeat to QPR last time out saw the Whites lose the initiative in the Championship title race. On Friday, Marcelo Bielsa’s side take on fellow promotion contenders West Bromwich Albion at Elland Road.
Another defeat at this stage in the season could be catastrophic for the Yorkshire club. The pressure is certainly mounting, and the recent comments from veteran attacking midfielder Pablo Hernandez should worry fans of the side.
Tensions boiled over between Leeds and Bolton at the weekend and our man Thogden was on the scene. Check out the video below…
What he said
In a pre-match press conference, as quoted by the Yorkshire Evening Post, the 33-year-old was asked about his thoughts on the approaching clash with the Baggies. The Spaniard said: “We know it is an important game. We know if we win we can open up a gap over them. We don’t need to think too much. We just try to win the three points. We play better without pressure.”
Embracing the pressure
What should worry Leeds fans is Hernandez’s reference to pressure. Whether the 4-cap former Spain international likes it or not, it is something that is very much already on. Leeds only playing at their best without pressure won’t help them now as there is going to be intense scrutiny on them now in each of their remaining games this season.
Bielsa needs to find a way to get his team to produce their best in those sorts of situations – failure to do so will see them fall short of their Premier League dream again.