‘Fulham have to win’ – O’Neil reacts to huge Leeds clash, names sides who will finish in top two
talkSPORT pundit Gary O’Neil believes that Leeds United will have enough to get over the line this season and warned that Fulham “have to win” on Saturday to have any chance of the top two.
Talking on the White & Sawyer Show (talkSPORT, Wednesday, 11am) O’Neil said, “The restart has made the top of the Championship very tough to call. I thought Leeds and West Brom were too far away. However, having seen Leeds lose to Cardiff and West Brom not winning… Brentford came up with a win to get themselves in the mix. It’s a very tough one to call.
“I still expect Leeds and West Brom to get going and to maintain the gap.”
Talking about the game on Saturday, O’Neil said, “It’s a huge game. Fulham have to win. A draw for Leeds is good enough. I remember when I was top of the Championship, the main thing is keeping that gap to third. You’re constantly looking at that and that’s what they’ll be thinking.
“They’d love to win, to put it to bed, put Fulham in the rear-view mirror but I do think Leeds will have enough.”
O’Neil has experience of what Leeds are going through after guiding Norwich to promotion from the Championship in the 14/15 season.
They had to do it through the play-offs, something that Leeds fans, players and anyone connected to the club will be desperate to avoid after the heartbreak from last season.
Most people think Leeds will finish in the top-two. The bookies think Leeds will finish in the top two. Nate Silver’s prediction site FiveThirtyEight thinks Leeds finish in the top two.
The only doubts you’ll find at the moment are from Leeds fans who refuse to count their chickens.
In fact, they’ve already slated Adam Forshaw for showing too much confidence, after the injured midfielder said promotion was a “formality”.
He said that before the defeat against Cardiff and he’s probably wishing he hadn’t now.
In other Leeds United news, Phil Hay: EFL ‘likely’ to ban Leeds from doing one thing in huge clash v Fulham