Paul Heckingbottom has praised the atmosphere at Elland Road, describing it as a “fantastic” venue to play as Leeds United pursue Premier League promotion.
Daniel Farke and his team have transformed Elland Road into a fortress this season, having lost zero Championship games at home, and the fans have echoed that sentiment throughout the campaign.
The influence of a great environment was truly put to the test when the Whites faced Leicester City on Friday 23 March, trailing 1-0 until the 80th minute before a remarkable 3-1 comeback.
Heckingbottom told talkSPORT live on Tuesday (27 February, 9:55am): “Elland Road and the fanbase are wonderful. Players wanted to play for the club, and away players looked forward to the game.
“Having that atmosphere in the Premier League, whether you’ve got the Sky cameras there or whatever, it’s a fantastic place to play.”
Will Leeds United play football in the Premier League next season?
Leeds have gone unbeaten in the Championship in nine games, unbeaten at Elland Road this season, and completed the league double over league leaders Leicester City, putting them in serious contention to finish first.
After a 3-1 victory over the Foxes on Friday, February 23, Farke’s side has reduced the distance between top and second to only six points, and automatic promotion appears to be theirs to lose.
With 12 games remaining, the Whites will seek to ensure their place in the Premier League for the following season without having to go through the playoffs. Elland Road could probably be a top-flight stadium again.
Ipswich Town and Southampton remain in contention to beat Leeds to the automatic promotion spots, with the Tractor Boys tied on points and the Saints five points behind.
Leeds boast one of the division’s tightest defenders, with Joe Rodon, Ethan Ampadu, Pascal Struijk, and Liam Cooper guiding their side from behind against a slew of dangerous strikers.
