Preston North End manager, and former Leeds United boss, Simon Grayson has praised the Whites’ playing style following the meeting between the two sides on Saturday afternoon at Elland Road; which resulted in a 3-0 United win.
Grayson, the lifelong Leeds United supporter, had plenty of positives to say about his boyhood club following the game- despite his current side Preston seeing their playoff hopes fade in the process.
Simon stated, ‘Leeds are playing effective football. They’ve got threats and fantastic home form’, in his post match comments following a disappointing result for his current Lancashire side.
First half goals from Kemar Roofe and Pablo Hernandez, as well as a late Souleymane Doukara strike, showed that Leeds have a number of attacking threats and can depend upon other forward thinking players to come up with the goods when top goalscorer Chris Wood isn’t on the score sheet.
Wood is still the Championship’s leading goalscorer on 24 goals. However, he has not bagged in three games- despite having a strike chalked off for offside in the 3-0 win.
Ripon born Grayson also stated that, ‘There is no need why they (Leeds) can’t get promoted’ following his early compliments. The Whites currently sit fifth in the Championship on 72 points, five points ahead of seventh place Fulham with five games remaining in the campaign.
Automatic places now seem out of reach for United, and will have to continue their battle in the play-offs to prove Grayson right and achieve promotion to the top flight.
Leeds will be hoping to restore their Premier League status at the end of the season after they fell out of the top tier 13 years ago at the end of the 2003/04 season.
However, with a tough trip to Newcastle’s St. James’ Park next on the fixture list, Leeds need to concentrate on cementing their place in the top six to even have a chance of the greatly anticipated return.
