AYL AND HEARTY
Ayling insists City win is history and Leeds are targeting another shock over Liverpool
LUKE AYLING claims Leeds’ landmark win over Manchester City is already history for the players.
Leeds recorded their most significant Premier League victory since triumphing at Arsenal in May 2003 to stay up when they beat the champions elect at the Etihad last Saturday. But while many Leeds fans are still celebrating that success, Ayling claims the players are focused on Monday night’s clash with Liverpool at Elland Road.
“I was speaking to Stuey Dallas and he had done a few Press bits and then he got a call to do one at night,” said the Leeds defender.
“Stuey said he didn’t really want to do it because it sounds like we’re over the moon, like it’s a cup shock and all that. At the end of the day we’re two teams playing in the Premier League and we got the three points. “Yeah, it’s a great win, yeah, we did it with 10 men. But it just is another three points, and we move on. “We were all buzzing and after the game there was a great atmosphere in the dressing room, but it’s done now, we shrug that one off. “We go into another massive game on Monday and try and cause another shock. That’s how we take it.” Leeds are on a high and they will register four straight Premier League victories for the first time in 20 years if they defeat Liverpool. They are also well on course to record their best placing since 2002 when they came fifth.
Leeds are wary of secondseason syndrome after witnessing Sheffield United’s demise after they came ninth in the last campaign.
“We keep setting new targets,” Ayling said on the Official Leeds United Podcast.
“Things have gone well for us these last four games. Now we’re looking up, we might look at the team above us and try and win our next game and catch them. Let’s see where it can take us.
“We know how important it is to finish the season well. We know we’re coming back next year, but that second year is even harder.
“So we don’t want to end the season with a bad feeling going into next season, it’s about finishing this season well.”
Ayling’s journey from being rejected by Arsenal to reaching the Premier League with Leeds via Yeovil and Bristol City is typical of several of their players.
The right-back admits many of them did not expect to reach this level and says they must keep working hard if they want to remain part of Leeds’ story.
Ayling, 29, expects the club to make more signings in the summer and says everyone will have to fight for their places.
“We’re a bunch of lads that didn’t expect to be playing in the Premier League for Leeds United at any point in our careers,” he said.
“The gaffer came in, we did well, and finally got here. It’s a group of lads working hard to try and stay in the league and see where we can go.
“For the size of the club and for what it can be, it’s so exciting.
“We have to work hard to stay here because the club is going to keep building and bringing in new players, so us boys know we’ve got to work hard and stay here as long as possible.”