Leeds United boss Javi Gracia's pre-Bournemouth press conference every word on Whites collapse, Willy Gnonto decision and Luis Sinisterra's injury
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Leeds put themselves on course to move four points clear of the Premier League drop zone when taking a 1-0 lead in Tuesday night’s hosting of Leicester City only for the Foxes to equalise through Jamie Vardy and leave with a 1-1 draw.
The stalemate left United just two points clear of the drop zone but having played one game more than third-bottom Everton but the Toffees were then hammered 4-1 by Thursday night’s visitors Newcastle United.
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Hide AdLeeds, though, who are still fifth-bottom, have now been joined on 30 points by fourth-bottom Nottingham Forest who recorded a 3-1 victory at home to high-flying Brighton on Wednesday evening which left Leicester in the bottom three, one point behind the Whites. The result also left Everton second-bottom and still two points adrift of Leeds.
Bournemouth, meanwhile, pulled seven points clear of the drop zone with Thursday night’s 1-0 win at bottom side Southampton which left the 14th-placed Cherries six points ahead of this weekend’s visitors Leeds. Ahead of Sunday’s 2pm kick-off at the Vitality Stadium, Gracia spoke to the media at 1pm from Thorp Arch and here is everything that was said by United’s Spanish head coach.
Bournemouth v Leeds United - Javi Gracia press conference every word
Some fams have questioned the ftness of the players - starting well and then falling off. Are they wide of the mark?
I don’t know, I don’t think it’s something about physical. I think it is the moment of the season, the stress, the schedule. As I said before, yesterday, in all the games there were injured players in all of them and it’s not only about one team, it is about all the teams, the competition, it is about the games we have to play. In this case we speak about Luis and you can see the the way he was injured. It was after a tackle, his ankle and there are injuries coming like that but then other injuries, muscular injuries are coming from from all these things not only about one team, it is about the competition.”
How much have you encouraged the team to bond?
“Of course always it is better when you watch the games and you see the results are better for you but there’s something you know which is better when you don’t pay much attention on that because what you have to be focusing on yourself and you know you have to get points, you know, you have to improve your your games and that’s the best, the right way for us, to try to work hard to try to improve because with some results or with other results, we need to win points and we need to play better.”