Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ally McCoist have insisted that Sam Allardyce's arrival at Leeds United will not help them in their battle against relegation, with the pair suggesting that their future in the top-flight will depend on the performances of the clubs around them.
Leeds have announced that Allardyce will take charge of the Whites for their final four Premier League matches of the season. Javi Gracia's 12-game spell in charge came to a sudden end after a dismal set of results in April that saw the club concede 23 goals in one month.
The 68-year-old will take charge of the club for the first time against reigning champions Manchester City this weekend. Both Agbonlahor and McCoist believe that the difficult fixtures awaiting Leeds mean that their future in the top-flight will depend on the results of Nottingham Forest, Leicester City and Everton's fixtures - rather than their own.
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“I didn't,” Agbonlahor told talkSPORT when asked if he saw Allardyce's appointment coming. “Especially after West Brom [failing to keep them up], I thought that dented his record.
“But Leeds are desperate and teams are desperate this season. It's so important for teams like Forest and Leeds to stay in the Premier League because, you know, it took them so long to get back into it.
“They don't have the players to play any manager’s way,” he added when asked about the Leeds squad adapting to life under Allardyce. “Since [Marcelo] Bielsa left, they haven’t performed.
“So these players are going to get typical Sam Allardyce, you know, be physical. Get the ball in the box to [Patrick] Bamford. [Wilfried] Gnonto on the left wing. They'll play him as well."
“Doubt it very much,” McCoist added when asked if Leeds will be playing out from the back under Allardyce. “I mean, it is one tall order [for Leeds to avoid relegation]. I think Leeds’ best chance, believe it or not, are for the teams below them not to pick up enough points.
“Leeds are not going to get anything against [Man] City or Newcastle.”
Agbonlahor replied: “The only way [for Leeds to get points off Newcastle or Man City] is if they have already reached their goals for the season and their players take their foot off the gas.”
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