Leeds takes big step towards Premier League survival

Leeds, May  3: Leeds United took a massive step towards confirming its Premier League status after a comfortable 3–1 victory over Burnley.

The win almost certainly guarantees top-flight football at Elland Road next season. Leeds moved nine points clear of Tottenham Hotspur, the team occupying the third and final relegation spot.

Daniel Farke’s men improved to 14th place, above Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and West Ham United, all of whom have a game in hand. The bottom two, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley, are already going down.

The Leeds players celebrated in front of a delirious home crowd at the final whistle and, although they were not taking their survival for granted yet, the win was clearly a relief.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” one of Leeds’ stars Dominic Calvert-Lewin said. “Leading from the front, high up the pitch, and we executed the game plan really well. They’ve come in playing with nothing to lose and that can be dangerous sometimes, but pleased with and proud of the boys with how we’ve performed.”

Anton Stach put the home side ahead in the eighth minute with a low shot from 30 metres out that somehow sneaked inside Martin Dúbravka’s post.

The second came seven minutes into the second half thanks to sloppy defending by Burnley’s Bashir Humphreys. His pass was intercepted by Calvert-Lewin, whose neat backheel created more space in the Burnley defence and allowed Noah Okafor to fire home.

Calvert-Lewin got the third himself four minutes later when he was on hand to prod home in a crowded penalty area after Dúbravka could only parry Ao Tanaka’s long-range effort.

Loum Tchaouna got Burnley’s consolation goal.The Lancashire club fired manager Scott Parker after two years in the role on Thursday and interim coach Mike Jackson was appointed for the last four games of the season.

“I knew this game could go one of two ways with what’s happened in the last 24 hours,” Jackson said. “The shock of it to the group. I had a feeling it could go a little bit like that. First half, first 25 minutes, we looked a little bit shell-shocked in a way. We grew into the game a little bit more. We started the second half I thought pretty well, and then we can’t make those errors. And then you’re always up against it.”

Meanwhile, RCD Mallorca secured their first away win since October with a 1–0 victory at Girona FC, further tightening the already fierce relegation battle in La Liga on Friday.

Mallorca’s first away win since October lifted them above Girona on goal difference into 15th place in the 20-team table. Both clubs were four points clear of the relegation zone.Only six points separate Rayo Vallecano in 11th place from second-from-bottom Levante UD.

Mallorca were on top for much of the opening 45 minutes and got their reward seconds before half-time.

Samú Costa was unmarked in the box and stole in to head home Johan Mojica’s lofted cross from the left.

Girona pushed harder in the second half, but the woodwork and goalkeeper Leo Román kept Mallorca in front. Veteran striker Cristhian Stuani acknowledged the defeat was a difficult one to take.

“It’s getting more difficult,” Stuani said. “We have to grit our teeth and give it everything.”(AP)