Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer clash after what they saw at Leeds United this week
Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer have clashed over Leeds United boss Daniel Farke selecting a weakened starting lineup for the FA Cup defeat to Chelsea.
Speaking on the Rest is Football podcast (1 March), Lineker suggested that one reason for a change in the team for Championship sides was the fact they play so many league games in a season.
However Shearer believes it was a conscious decision from Farke with the Whites in contention to return to the Premier League this season with their league position.
“It’s funny because we got to the latter stages of the competition and I notice a lot of the Championship sides did play kind of second string and weakened sides, not all of them, but I think that’s probably down to the fact they do play 46 league games a season.”
Shearer then responded: “I do get it a little bit more for the teams that are in the position that Leicester and Leeds are in because of the pull of the Premier League and the might of the Premier League.”
Promotion has to be the priority for Leeds United
As amazing as the FA Cup run was for Whites fans, and a trophy would obviously be fantastic it isn’t realistic or sustainable.
A trip to Stamford Bridge was a great occasion, but having it more regularly as part of the Premier League rather than in a cup game means that the manager essentially had to sacrifice this game.
Even with a weakened lineup with key players like Georginio Rutter, Crysencio Summerville and Pascal Struijk not around the team still held their own and were minutes away from extra-time.
With so many games still to come between now and the end of the season, results are incredibly important due to the fact the race for promotion is so tight.
If you’d asked fans of the Elland Road club which they would prefer, the vast majority would have picked promotion. Now they have to secure it though, otherwise this could have been a huge chance missed.
In other Leeds news, journalist tips Whites to splash £20m on “incredible” summer transfer.
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