49ers make serious mistakes at Leeds United after what Phil Hay saw
Phil Hay says the 49ers have some serious mistakes to learn from if Leeds United are to possibly succeed in the Premier League next term.
The West Yorkshire outfit are in spectacular form this season and promotion feels like a question of when rather than if at Elland Road.
A dramatic 3-1 victory against Sheffield United on Monday (24 February) leaves the Whites sitting at the top of the Championship, five points clear.
49ers need to go all out to keep Leeds United in the Premier League
Although Daniel Farke won’t be keen to get too far ahead of himself this term, given how high Leeds’ standards have been throughout the campaign so far, it would be surprising if they didn’t gain automatic promotion to the top flight.
| Team | Position | Points |
| Leeds United | 1 | 75 |
| Sheffield United | 2 | 70 |
| Burnley | 3 | 68 |
However, reaching the Premier League is only half the battle, with maintaining a place in the league the next big task ahead.
Although Wolves are flirting with the relegation zone, as it stands, it is the three promoted sides from last term who are set to be on their way back down to the second tier, highlighting the difficulty of survival.
As a result, Hay has urged the Leeds owners to put all their resources into survival, if they get back.
Speaking on The Athletic podcast (26 February) Hay was asked if the Americans will have learned from past errors, saying: “The 49ers were on board during that period and there were some pretty serious mistakes made during those three years which I think they will have digested and will look back on as and when they go up.”
Leeds United need to maintain Premier League success
Although Leeds fans will be overjoyed to make it back to the top flight, the Whites have to do everything they can to maintain their position otherwise the benefits of promotion will certainly be short-lived.
As Hay later pointed out, there are several players at Elland Road already who are excellent Championship options but will struggle to make the move up and adjust to playing in the Premier League.
The 49ers certainly have the funding to put into Leeds and provide the resources necessary to secure survival and therefore, they have to go all out.
If the West Yorkshire outfit can re-establish themselves as a consistent Premier League club, the amount this will benefit Leeds is big both on and off the pitch.
If the funds are there then why wouldn’t you put all you can into staying in the Premier League and securing a prosperous future making sure the right players are in place to get the job done?