Leeds United are in a decent position in the battle to stay in the Premier League but their former skipper thinks it’s going to be a close run thing
Brian Dick Reach Football Correspondent
07:00, 31 Mar 2026
Leeds United are fighting to stay in the Premier League(Image: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Ross McCormack reckons Leeds United fans would have settled for the current Premier League situation had they been offered it at the start of the season.
The former Whites captain has also backed Leeds to ‘sneak’ their way to safety in a final day showdown with West Ham on May 24, a prediction which will no doubt terrify everyone if it were to go down to the final day.
Indeed he sees Tottenham Hotspur pulling away from the danger zone as their list of injured players shortens and likes what he sees of Nottingham Forest.
Which leaves his old club, for whom he plundered 58 goals in 157 appearances, and West Ham as going head to head to avoid the drop with Burnley and Wolves.
As things stand 15th placed United are actually above Forest by one point, Spurs by three and the Hammers by four. But McCormack says nothing can be taken for granted – even if he has been impressed by their mid-season turnaround under Daniel Farke.
FOLLOW OUR LUFC FACEBOOK PAGE! Latest news, analysis and more on our Leeds United FB page
“I think the start was poor. I think everyone would say that, they were probably a little bit too expansive, going into the Premier League thinking that they could get away with playing how they played in the Championship. Everyone’s going to get caught cold with that,” he told LeedsLive.
“But I was actually working at the game when they changed the system at half-time at the Etihad and that was the change of our fortunes really.
“They’ve got two men up front, three at the back, their wingbacks have been superb this season, whether it be [Jayden] Bogle or [Gabriel] Gudmundsson, who I think’s been a real, a real star, overall you’ve really got to be happy with it.
“I think if you would have given Leeds fans at the start of the season where they are just now, I think they’d snap your hands off for it.
“I do worry, though, because I think West Ham are going to improve. I think Forest will improve, Tottenham, I think, are in a false position, they’re starting to get a couple of the players back as well, I think they’ll start to pull away.
“So it’s one out of three. I look at the quality in the Forest squad, they’ve got some genuine quality, [Callum] Hudson-Odoi, [Morgan] Gibbs White, [Omari] Hutchinson, who I think’s a fantastic player, so I do worry for that.
“I don’t want it to happen, but I think it’s going to come down to a last day shootout between West Ham and Leeds at the London Stadium. I think Leeds will just sneak it and stay up.”
England’s 2026 World Cup kits
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Various Prices
England Official Store
Buy Now on England Official Store
England and Nike have launched the new home, away and goalkeeper kits to be worn at this summer’s FIFA World Cup. You can get free delivery on all orders with the code: ENGFREEDEL