'Embarrassing' - Jermaine Beckford calls for Leeds United action and reveals Willy Gnonto chat

Leeds are heading for Sunday’s Premier League clash at Bournemouth sat fifth-bottom and just one point clear of the relegation zone with only five games left. The Whites have lost three of their last four games and promotion-winning Leeds hero Beckford has admitted his worry for the side, particularly on the back of home hammerings from Crystal Palace and Liverpool that Beckford has labelled as “embarrassing”.

Beckford, though, says there is an obvious step that Whites boss Gracia can take to help his side in the form of starting Italian international teenage forward Gnonto who Beckford says does not know why he isn’t in the side.

Speaking to William Hill and Footy Accumulators’ No Tippy Tappy Football, Beckford said: “I’m starting to worry a little bit, one of the biggest issues at Leeds, currently, is that there are a couple of players who should be playing in this situation.

“Wilfried Gnonto, he’s fantastic, he’s so positive, driven and direct with the ball. He gets the play up the field and doesn’t mind defending. He’s a fantastic player, but he isn’t playing. He didn’t even come off the bench for the last couple of games.

“I’ve spoken to him directly about it and he doesn’t know why. But I think he should be playing, there’s Rodrigo, Patrick Bamford as well, Jack Harrison and Luis Sinisterra. There are so many great attacking players in the team, the issue seems to be at the other end of the field – conceding for fun.

“People mention the lack of leadership with the last couple of games especially, with exception to the Leicester game, there hasn’t been any real leadership on the pitch during the home games. Crystal Palace 5-1 and Liverpool 6-1, it’s embarrassing, absolutely embarrassing, and if you take a step backwards and just listen to what the fans want, and what the fans are saying, similar to Spurs with [Daniel] Levy, listening for what the fans are calling out for, I think the decision is very simple.

"It’s a very obvious decision to make for the greater good of the football club and preserving their Premier League status. However, it just doesn’t seem to be that way currently, so it’s really frustrating.”