'It is what it is': Junior Firpo on mixed Leeds United emotions, Whites difficulty and fight vow

Javi Gracia’s side have dropped into the division’s relegation zone despite taking a point from Saturday’s hosting of Brighton following weekend victories for fellow basement battlers Bournemouth and Everton.

Firpo, though, ultimately admitted that Saturday’s 2-2 draw against the high-flying Seagulls must be seen as a good result, especially as his side trailed twice to a team chasing a European football qualification spot. Firpo said his side faced a difficult task against a confident outfit flying high in eighth place in stark contrast to a Whites team scrapping away for Premier League survival.

Second-bottom Leeds will take in their final game before the March international break with next Saturday’s trip to fellow relegation battlers Wolves, ahead of which Whites left back Firpo said his side must keep up the fight given the relentless nature of English football’s top division.

"It's a mix of emotions,” said Firpo, asked if he was happy with a point by LUTV. "Going down two times in the game maybe you can be happy with the point because it's more than nothing but I think now the points are getting more important and more important every single week so it is what it is.

"I think we played against a really tough team to play and I think we had our chances. Obviously they create a lot and they play really good but I think we did a good game. They are always looking for the control of the game with the way that they play. Obviously they are sixth of the league so it's really easy for them to play with confidence.

"It's not the same as us that we are playing for the battle against relegation so it's a really difficult opponent to play against with confidence, with good players. They know exactly what they want to do so I think it's a good point."

Reflecting on the fact that Leeds fought back twice, Firpo reasoned: "It makes it not a bad result. Our fans can be even more proud about what we did because easily against those teams that you play against, they play really, really good, really nice football, they get the first goal and after they just enjoy and you run behind the ball and you don't have any chance.

"They score twice, they score the third one so I think we did a really good thing coming back in the game and maybe the second goal was a little bit unlucky I think we were we were being the better side in the second half at that point but it is what it is, it's what this league takes so keep fighting."