Paul Merson makes ‘massive’ definitive Leeds United survival claim after last gasp draw vs Brighton

Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has claimed that Leeds United’s last equaliser against Brighton on Sunday afternoon could be enough to keep them in the Premier League.

Pascal Struijk came off the bench to net a 92nd minute strike that ultimately secured a 1-1 draw and dragged Jesse Marsch’s side out of the bottom three.

Leeds had fallen behind to a first-half opener from Danny Welbeck, but were much-improved after the interval, and were rewarded for their efforts with a stoppage time leveller.

That result means that Burnley now fall into the relegation zone, albeit with a game in hand over United, but Merson has questioned whether the Clarets have enough left in the tank to pick up any points at all from their two remaining fixtures this term - against Aston Villa and Newcastle United.

Speaking on Sky Sports News, the former Arsenal midfielder said: “It takes them [Leeds} out of the bottom three.

“Burnley have got to go to Villa, who are still busy - they haven’t got their flip-flops on. Steven Gerrard will have them up for that last game of the season. They already slaughtered Burnley a couple of weeks ago.

“This could go down to the wire. It could be in Leeds’ hands. The most important thing was to get out the bottom three, and that’s what they’ve done today.

“They’ve given themselves a chance. If they didn’t get the draw, I don’t think they had any chance.

“Now Burnley have got to do something. They’ve got to do something.

“They’ve got to beat Newcastle, who will have four or five thousand Geordies behind the goal at Burnley, so they’re not going to be able to lie down. They go to Villa who are busy.

“I think that’s a massive point. I think that point keeps them up.”

Leeds’ final game of the season is against Brentford next weekend.