Richard Keys preaches caution over Javi Gracia at Leeds United with Southampton and Bournemouth predicted to go down
It is too early to look at Javi Gracia as the “saviour” of Leeds United despite an encouraging start in his first game in charge against Southampton, says Richard Keys.
The Whites recorded their first Premier League win since the 4-3 over Bournemouth on 5 November when they triumphed 1-0 against the league’s bottom side at Elland Road on Sunday (25 February).
Keys believes the last two teams that Leeds have managed to beat will be the first two to go down at the end of the season, and is reserving judgment for now as to whether the new manager can prevent his side being the third.
Writing in his latest blog post on Monday (27 February) the beIN Sports anchor said: “Javi Garcia made a great start at Leeds – but it’s too soon to start talking about him as their saviour.
“It’s beginning to look like Saints and Bournemouth are going – so it’s one from the rest down there.”
Encouraging
Leeds United only need to look at the man in the opposing dug-out on Saturday if they need to ensure that they don’t get carried away with their first win in over four months.
Last weekend Ruben Selles was the toast of the top flight when he took his struggling side to Stamford Bridge and beat Chelsea, while Michael Skubala’s caretaker reign ran out of steam at Everton.
But it was a role reversal this weekend as Gracia’s Whites looked revitalised, even if it wasn’t too difficult in comparison to the defeat at Goodison Park.
At the same time Southampton were abject and it seemed like it was only a question of whether the home side could find a goal or whether the game would end in a frustrating goalless draw, before Junior Firpo made the breakthrough.
Selles was given the job until the end of the season on the strength of his Chelsea victory, much like the way the scrambling Elland Road board hoped Skubala could ride out the season after an encouraging start at Manchester United.
The Saints boss may bounce back, and Gracia may yet falter, so the relegation battle is anything but a foregone conclusion.
The Spaniard has his side a point outside the drop zone, with Sean Dyche’s Everton currently in position to join the south coast sides, and he will know he needs a few more results like his first if he is to get the job done.
In other Leeds United news, one of Gracia’s key decisions in his first game shocked a Sky Sports pundit, but it worked.
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