When the curtain comes down on the campaign, some Leeds United supporters may have plenty to thank Blackburn for.
Leeds United manager Garry Monk
With just nine games to go in the regular season in the Championship, Leeds look to be on course for a play-off spot. And while Garry Monk has persisted with a mantra of the team just concentrating on themselves, one of their divisional rivals seems to have played a decent part in their campaign.
Last night, Blackburn Rovers twice came from behind to deny Fulham a victory in their game that would have seen Slavisa Jokanovic’s side move up to sixth in the table, leaving just four points between Leeds in fourth and Sheffield Wednesday in seventh.
However, Lucas Joao – who is on loan at Ewood Park from Wednesday – scored a stoppage-time equaliser to stifle Fulham’s momentum and leave the Cottagers just outside the play-offs.
While Leeds would have still boasted a cushion over the chasing pack if Fulham had won, they still have to play fellow promotion chasers Brighton and Reading in their next two games and travel to leaders Newcastle next month, so may perhaps need as big a cushion as possible if they hope to secure a top six spot.
Lucas Joao of Blackburn Rovers celebrates scoring their second goal with Jason Lowe
But it is not the first time that Blackburn have seemingly played a defining role in Leeds’ season.
Back in September, Leeds hosted Rovers in a game that pitted two of the Championship’s bottom three against each other. If the Whites had lost, they would have fallen to the bottom of the table 17 years to the day that they had faced Barcelona in the Nou Camp in the Champions League.
With a poor start under their belts, it seemed that Monk was already under extreme pressure and it is not difficult to imagine that Massimo Cellino would have wielded the axe yet again had they lost to Blackburn.
Blackburn Rovers’s Martin Samuelson in action with Leeds United’s Kyle Bartley
However, a Kyle Bartley goal in the 87th minute ensured that Leeds picked up a scrappy, but nevertheless massive three points that signalled the start of a four-game winning run and dramatic ascent up the table.
And with Blackburn still to play Brighton and Reading also, Leeds fans will be hoping that Tony Mowbray’s men can do them more favours before the end of the campaign.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
