Callum Wilson has told West Ham United striker Michail Antonio what it’s like playing against Sam Allardyce’s Leeds United and the difficulty of the Elland Road crowd.
Over the weekend, Newcastle United recorded a 2-2 draw against Leeds United, with Callum Wilson netting a brace, and now his partner in crime from West Ham, Michail Antonio, will face the relegation-threatened side on Sunday.
The Hammers man wanted to know what it’s like facing the Whites to which Wilson responded ‘they will press, rat around, tackle, break up play and make the game scrappy’, as he told The Footballer’s Football Podcast.
A number of weeks ago, David Moyes would have pencilled this game down as a relegation decider, but his team have done enough since to survive, whilst their opponents from Yorkshire sit in the relegation zone.
On one hand, Leeds’ point against Newcastle is a positive one, on paper, but given that they could have gone 2-0 up and they gave away two penalties, then it’s certainly points dropped.
It’s now a trip to the London Stadium, with Antonio asking Wilson what it’s like facing Allardyce’s side and what he should expect.
“So, you want some inside info, yeah,” responded Wilson to Antonio asking him about how Leeds play under their new manager. “Let me see what I can do for you.
“They are a side where they are on the front foot. They will press. They will rat around. Try and get in your face. Tackle. Break up play. Make the game scrappy. When you are trying to play your nice football, they want it to become a bit of a fight. A bit of a mess really.
“They are good at set-pieces. Crosses into the box, like the two goals we conceded. Long throws. That’s the kind of game that it is. They are fighting for their lives. They have got that desire.
“You guys at home or away? (He’s told the game is at the London Stadium). Because their stadium and atmosphere was one of the best I have played this season. For a team that’s down there in the relegation zone. You don’t expect atmospheres to be like that. But it was loud before the game. They scored and the roof lifted off.”
WILL LEEDS SURVIVE RELEGATION FROM THE PREMIER LEAGUE?
Last season, under the stewardship of Jesse Marsch, Leeds secured their safety on the final day of the season against Brentford.
But, ahead of the weekend games, if they lose to West Ham, who have a European semi-final to contend with on Thursday, and other results go against them, then they will be down.
Leeds simply have to go for the win, and if that means pushing and taking those extra risks for three points when the scores are level with ten minutes left, then they have to do it.
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