Clanger keeper hands yet more misery to Gracia
THERE was more misery for Leeds boss Javi Gracia as his relegation battlers suffered a third straight defeat.
Flapping French keeper Illan Meslier gifted Fulham a twogoal lead after the break and it needed an own goal to put Leeds on the scoresheet.
It left the unhappy Leeds fans chanting the name of favourite former boss Marcelo Bielsa and berating director of football Victor Orta.
No wonder Gracia cut a dejected figure afterwards. Leeds face a potentially do-or-die double this week – at home to Leicester on Tuesday and then away Bournemouth a week today.
Gracia said: “I am worried a lot about everything. We have to improve everything.
‘‘At two goals down it was hard for us. I feel the supporters’ disappointment.
“The players are trying their best. Of course, they make mistakes but it is about the team. We need to compete like we were before.
“We have to accept the moment we are living in and believe now is the time to do it because we have another important game coming up.”
If free-falling Leeds had pencilled in this clash as being against a team winding down their season, it was wishful thinking.
A 3-1 comeback win at Everton last Saturday had ended four defeats on the bounce for Fulham and proved they were still up for a scrap.
After twice being hammered at home – 5-1 by Crystal Palace and 6-1 by Liverpool – you might have thought Leeds would relish an away trip.
Not so, and a Marc Roca shot, parried by Fulham stopper Bernd Leno, was all they could muster in a shocking first half.
Willian was the one player who appeared in the mood and he kept urging Fulham on.
It was his cross that Meslier pushed away to Harry Wilson (below), who crashed in a powerful first-time effort on 58 minutes. Meslier was to blame for Fulham’s second. He dropped Antonee Robinson’s cross, allowing Andreas Pereira a tap-in.
Patrick Bamford’s back-heel diverted in off Joao Palhinha but it was too little, too late for Leeds.
Fulham boss Marco Silva, whose side now have 45 points after a second-successive win, said: “We were the better team today.
“If the first half was more balanced, in the second we were clearly the best.”