Illan Meslier was defended by former Leeds striker Ross McCormack as the under-fire goalkeeper faced more pressure.
Leeds’ push for promotion to the Premier League hit a snag with a heartbreaking 2-2 draw with Swansea on Saturday.
A hard-earned lead was let slip by another Meslier blunder that saw fans’ frustration boil over.
Though Meslier notably made an outstanding penalty save earlier in the game, his late mistake cast a shadow over his earlier heroics.
This disappointing result leaves Leeds in second place with 81 points, tied with Burnley, yet precariously holding their position solely due to goal difference.
Sheffield United currently reign top of the Championship table with 83 points as the promotion race is set to go down to the wire.
Meslier is taking the majority of the flak, but McCormack pointed to other problems with the Leeds squad.
With only seven matches remaining, talkSPORT host Jeff Stelling probed McCormack on whether manager Daniel Farke might have a ‘blind spot’ regarding Meslier.
“He’s won Leeds quite a few points this season as well with his saves, so it’s probably important not to jump down his throat too much,” McCormack told talkSPORT Breakfast.
“But it’s not the first time that he’s let a soft goal in or two. So, I think the problem is that the backup keepers are probably not of a standard to come in and replace him and make the team better.”
Meslier’s past blunders, like the late goal conceded against Sunderland in October, have only intensified scrutiny around him but he is not the real problem according to McCormack.
“I think Leeds have got one big problem, and it’s in the striker department,” he stated.
“I always feel that the team that goes on and wins the league will have a striker that will go and get a number of goals and contribute every game.
“Now, for as good a player, technically, as Joel Piroe is, I just don’t see him being that guy for Leeds, and then they’ve only got the other young boy, Mateo Joseph, to come off the bench and he’s not ready to start every game either.”
He highlighted the depth of Sheffield United’s attacking options in contrast, further emphasizing Leeds’ concerns.
“So I would have said probably 4 or 5 weeks ago Leeds were a sure thing. I thought they would have pulled away at the top, but as Leeds seem to do all the time, they pull themselves back into it and it was this stage of the season last year, actually after the international break, where they started to falter. So they’ll be hoping that it doesn’t strike twice.”
Leeds’ upcoming challenges against teams like Middlesbrough, Oxford United, Stoke, and Bristol City are being viewed as pivotal.
Regarding these upcoming matches, McCormack said, “Towards this stage of the season, Jeff, there are no easy games.
“Everyone will be fighting, whether it be to try and get out of the league or even stay in the league. So the games will be tough. I’m sure Sheffield United and Burnley still have to play each other, so something has to give there.
“I would like to see Burnley go and beat Sheffield United because I think Sheffield United are probably the stronger of the two. But it’s going to be ever so tight. They’ll (Leeds) just be hoping that there are no playoffs this year, that’s for sure.”
Leeds’ history in the play-offs is filled with painful memories for the Leeds faithful, from the 2019 semi-final defeat to Derby County to the heart-wrenching loss to Southampton in the 2023 Championship play-off final, where an Adam Armstrong goal sealed their fate.
This past adds a heavy weight to the urgency of achieving automatic promotion.
Leeds’ next challenge awaits them away at Luton on April 5th, with kickoff set for 12:30 pm.
