Credit: Tung Manh Phan

Cameron Smith

Sun 19 April 2026 9:25, UK

Willy Gnonto has thanked Georginio Rutter for his exploits in Brighton’s 2-2 draw against Tottenham, which aided Leeds United in their survival battle.

The former Whites attacker stunned the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the final stages of their clash on Saturday evening to rescue a point.

Spurs would take the lead with just over 10 minutes of normal time remaining through a superb Xavi Simons strike, before Rutter found the back of the net in the 95th minute, keeping the Lilywhites in the relegation zone for another week.

On the same day, Daniel Farke’s Leeds extended their gap to the drop zone and Spurs to eight points, with goals from James Justin, Noah Okafor and Dominic Calvert-Lewin securing a 3-0 win against Wolves.

The West Yorkshire outfit are in fine form heading into the run-in, with their Premier League survival now all but sealed.

Leeds thankful as Brighton stun Tottenham

At the start of the week, Farke’s men gained serious momentum with a 2-1 win away at rivals Manchester United on Monday.

Looking to follow this up on home soil, they would boss Wolves at Elland Road, extending the gap to nine points ahead of Tottenham’s clash with Brighton.

And with Rutter’s late strike, Spurs would miss the chance to drag themselves out of the drop zone, while their gap to Leeds now sits at eight points, leaving West Ham and Nottingham Forest as the sides they will be aiming to catch.

The French attacker took to Instagram in celebration, prompting a response from Whites wideman Gnonto, who said “Merci,” with a heart to go with.

Alongside this, former promotion hero Stuart Dallas joined in on the fun, describing the situation as “absolutely marvellous,” with a prayer emoji, alongside a blue and yellow heart, outlining his love for the Elland Road club in the process.

Joining Leeds in 2023, the 23-year-old would score eight times and lay on 16 assists as Farke’s side reached the 2023-24 playoff final, before making the move to Brighton as a result of the final loss to Southampton.

Leeds can play without fear with safety within touching distance

Following a poor string of draws heading into the international break, Leeds have responded fantastically.

Throughout that run, the Whites were picking up points, but were playing within themselves after an excellent run at the turn of the year.

Little by little, the gap to the bottom three reduced, while Farke’s side were dragged back into the battle.

Though, since the return from the international window, they have burst into life again.

At Old Trafford on Monday, the visitors from West Yorkshire delivered a stunning performance to put them back on track for survival.

The Wolves win has only strengthened these chances, with another season in the Premier League now within touching distance for Farke.

After a string of results, Leeds can now play without fear heading into a crucial FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea, as they look to end what has been a fantastic season on a high.