Javi Gracia launches defence of Leeds United star and addresses 'lost the dressing room' question

United's new Spanish head coach Gracia steered Leeds to three victories from his first six league games in charge but the Whites have conceded 11 goals in their last two fixtures which have produced wallopings from Crystal Palace and Liverpool.

The heavy reverses have left the Whites fifth-bottom with the worst defensive record in the Premier League table and just two points clear of the drop zone with only seven games left. Gracia, though, says he has full faith that Leeds have the quality to stay up and has issued a fierce defence of Whites stopper Meslier upon questions about the keeper after conceding 11 goals in two games.

Speaking ahead of Saturday's lunchtime showdown at Fulham, Gracia was asked if Meslier still had his backing and declared that United's woes in their last 180 minutes of football were "not because of the goalkeeper."

The Whites boss was later asked if deep down he believed that Leeds still had the quality of platers to stay up and declared: "Yes. I believe in my players but I don't believe it only because I want to tell you now that in front of you.

"I believe because from my first day they showed me the quality, the way they really want, the way they compete and in two games it doesn't change for me. I know we've had two bad games or even the second part against Palace and the last game against Liverpool. I accept that.

"But in the rest of the games, I think we competed well, some of them losing, some of them winning but we competed well and that's the right way for us. I believe in all my players. You asked me about the keeper and you asked me now because we've conceded 11 goals and in my opinion it's not fair to look at the keeper when we concede the goals. It's not fair because when we conceded we concede all the team, when we score, we score all the team and it's something I want to say, to give value to my players and especially all the keepers we have in this moment we've conceded 11 goals."

Pressed on whether he needed a conversation then with Meslier, Gracia said: "No. Not different than other weeks or not different than conversations I have with other players. We can speak about the games, we can speak about the performances but not especially because we have conceded more goals, no."

Leeds have now conceded 60 goals from their 31 games this season which have yielded 29 points. Gracia called for a reaction after Leeds were hammered 5-1 at Elland Road by Crystal Palace but the Spanish head coach then saw his side blitzed 6-1 by Jurgen Klopp's visiting Liverpool side just eight days later. The Whites boss was asked at his pre-match press conference if the players were still playing for him or if he had lost the dressing room.

"I expect for sure a good reaction," said Gracia. "Not me, all of us because a bad result or a bad game or the last two games we had, it doesn't change my opinion about my players.

"I am sure the players want it but not only for the manager. They want it because they love the club, they love all the people who are here and they are very good professionals, not only for the manager."

Asked following claims that Chelsea were "broken" if Leeds were also broken too, Gracia declared: "I don't know Chelsea, but I don't speak about other teams. But my team is alive and we show it in the next game."