Leeds United is running the risk of missing out on the EFL automatic promotion for the often time after a successive league defeat, their 4th defeat in 5 league matches, Bielsa's lads lost 0-2 to Nottingham Forest on Saturday late fixture.
This latest defeat to Forest highlighted Leeds recent decline in form. Like in their other defeats, they dominated Forest in ball possession 70%, however, Leeds United was unable to break down a dogged Nottingham Forest and was limited to just 1 shot on target from a total of 13 shots.
The home side might not have had plenty of the ball but they had a plan and they executed it effectively, hitting Leeds on the counter-attacks and scored the 2 goals from their 6 shots on target. The 1st, just after the half-hour mark(31') when Nigerian-born Sammy Ameobi beat Leeds' Goalie Kiko Casilla at the far post and the 2nd came deep into stoppage time(90+4') after another swift breakaway as Tyler Walker tapped into an empty net.
Leeds United maintain their 2nd place with 55 pts from 31 games but are now level on points with 3rd place Fulham, a team they had led with 11 points in not too distant weeks ago. Preston which occupied the last playoff spot in 6th position now trailed Leeds with just 5 points.
The situation is a reminiscence of Leeds United collapse towards the tail end of last season, a league campaign in which Leeds led the EFL table for the majority of the season but fell apart and lost the automatic promotion spot to Norwich City and Sheffield United and then also lost to Derby County in the promotion playoffs semifinal.
Stats show how Leeds United season has been free-falling since their 7th consecutive league win over Hull City in the 2nd week of December last year. Leeds has only won 2 in 10 championship matches since that winning run was ended by Cardiff City in a 3 all draw at Elland Road. Leeds have failed to keep a clean sheet in those 10 league matches, having kept 7 clean sheets in the previous 10 matches before.
Leeds United's struggle in front of opposition goal was reiterated against Nottingham Forest, as a typically deadly duo of Patrick Bamford and Pablo Hernandez and Leeds other forwards drew blank again, they have failed to score in 4 of their last 5 league matches, having failed to score in only 3 of their previous 26 matches.
The Championship race is far from over but it's safe to say Leeds United is treading dangerously close to another promotion disappointment and except the manager Marcelo Bielsa salvage the situation, it might be the end of his reign at Elland Road.
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