Leeds United have been thrown a relegation lifeline and it’s come from the unlikeliest of sources, with Tim Sherwood warning that Tottenham’s desperate dash for Roberto De Zerbi could end in disaster.
The Whites are clinging on. Four points clear of the drop. Seven games left. But they haven’t won in six. Haven’t scored in over 400 minutes. It’s been grim. Proper grim.
Yet somehow, the sides below them have been even worse. Wolves and Burnley look cooked. West Ham, Forest and Spurs have all fluffed their lines when it mattered most. Leeds are still standing. Just.
But Tottenham’s decision to sack Igor Tudor on Sunday has changed the picture. They’re scrambling. Desperate. And they’ve offered a hefty survival bonus to try and convince De Zerbi to walk into the chaos before their next Premier League game.
Sherwood: Not now
Tim Sherwood likes De Zerbi. Always has. Reckons he should’ve got the Spurs job months ago over Pochettino. Loves the football. Loves the personality.
But for a rescue job? With seven games left? No chance.
“He has got so little time,” Sherwood said on Sky Sports. “For anyone going in there, you have to put a question mark.”
Then came the bit that Leeds fans will have lapped up.
“He plays the style that Tottenham fans want, opens up the pitch but not now. That style is not needed right now. What they need is a safe pair of hands, and this is far from a safe pair of hands.”
And the killer line?
“I love the way his teams play, but they can be open; they can get hammered in some games. You can’t get hammered from now until the end of the season.”
Hammered. That’s the word. De Zerbi’s Brighton used to ship four on their off days. His Marseille spell was turbulent. He’s brilliant when it’s clicking. But when it’s not? It can get ugly.
And ugly is the last thing Spurs need right now.
What this means for Leeds
If De Zerbi walks in and tries to implement his full throttle, open your shirt football from Day One, there’s every chance Tottenham get picked off. Game after game. Hammered, as Sherwood put it.
Leeds don’t need favours. But they’ll take them.
The Whites have got to sort themselves out. No wins in six. No goals in over 400 minutes. That’s relegation form. Pure and simple. The only reason they’re not in the bottom three is because everyone else has been equally hopeless.
But if Spurs implode under a manager who needs a pre season, not a firefight, that cushion suddenly looks a lot safer.
Take control
Leeds can’t keep looking over their shoulders. They need a win. Any win. A scruffy 1-0 off someone’s shinpad. They don’t do style points in April when you’re fighting for your lives.
The table still reads nicely. Four points clear. But that gap can vanish in two games. Ask Everton. Ask Leicester. They’ve all been there.
Tottenham are rolling the dice on a manager who could either save them or sink them. Sherwood thinks it’s the latter. And if he’s right, Leeds can breathe a little easier.
But they’ve got to help themselves first. No more 400 minute goalless runs. No more winless streaks. Seven games to save their season.
And if De Zerbi’s Spurs get hammered along the way? Well, that’s just a bonus.
