Jamie Carragher makes exciting Leeds United prediction for next season amid 'big club' admission
Leeds United can start to look ahead having secured their Premier League status.
Jamie Carragher expects Leeds United to establish themselves as a Premier League team having mathematically secured safety over the past week.
Leeds are eight points clear of 18th-placed West Ham with two games to play, following Monday’s 1-1 comeback draw at Tottenham Hotspur. The Whites were safe before kick-off due to the Hammers’ defeat against Arsenal on Sunday but showed little sign of being on the beach.
Mathys Tel put Tottenham ahead with a curled effort just after half-time but was then guilty of a high boot foul on Ethan Ampadu which resulted in a penalty. Dominic Calvert-Lewin buried his effort from 12 yards as Leeds climbed back above Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace in the table.
Elland Road chiefs can now start to look forward to a hugely important summer strengthening Daniel Farke’s squad for their second top-flight campaign. And Carragher believes Leeds have the presence to regain their long-lost status as an established Premier League outfit.
“When certain teams come up, they feel like a Premier League club,” Carragher told Sky Sports. “Leeds being in the Premier League, it feels like a big club, a presence. Certain clubs come up, and even if they stay up you think ‘they still might struggle next year’. It’s almost like a psychological impact where they still don’t feel like a Premier League club.
“Leeds do, the fans expect that. I’ve got no skin in the game but Leeds, they are a team most people look at and want in the Premier League. The next thing is for them to establish themselves and I think they can.”
Leeds will have their 2021 summer window fresh in the memory as a warning not to rest on their laurels. After finishing ninth in the Premier League under Marcelo Bielsa, they failed to significantly strengthen bringing in Daniel James and Junior Firpo - neither of which made an instant impact.
Things quickly unravelled for Leeds following that underwhelming window and two seasons later, they were relegated. 49ers Enterprises will be desperate to avoid repeating those mistakes by ensuring last year’s incredibly successful recruitment is built upon again before the 2026/27 campaign.
Farke and his squad, however, won’t be looking beyond their final two games. Leeds will be keen to finish this season as strongly as possible, particularly given how tight a host of mid-table teams are bunched together.
The Whites host Brighton on Sunday in what will be their final home game of the season, before travelling to West Ham who could still be fighting to survive by that point. After that, a number of Farke’s players will be heading off to the World Cup.