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TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR V LEEDS UNITED
Leeds United travel to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday evening with survival almost secured, as Daniel Farke's side prepare to face a Spurs side desperately fighting to escape the relegation zone. By kick-off, Leeds will hopefully be mathematically safe from relegation, removing any lingering nerves heading into their final three fixtures of the campaign. The situation at the opposite end of the table remains far more tense, with West Ham requiring a victory over Arsenal over the weekend to maintain any realistic hope of catching those above them.
The Leeds camp has been disrupted this week, with head coach Daniel Farke absent from his scheduled Friday press conference due to illness. Assistant coach Eddie Riemer stepped in to address the media and provided an update on his manager's condition, offering reassurance that Farke is expected to recover in time for Monday's match. "He is ill, didn't sound too good but I am pretty sure he will be alright [for Monday]," Riemer confirmed, ensuring supporters that the German remains on track to oversee this crucial fixture from the touchline.
Team news from the Leeds camp presents mixed fortunes for the visitors. Left-back Gabriel Gudmundsson remains side-lined and will be assessed on a daily basis, while forward Noah Okafor continues to have calf issues which will rule him out of contention. However, there is positive news regarding Pascal Struijk, who returned to training with the squad on Friday and could be available for selection. Riemer also took time to praise the adapting talents of Anton Stach, describing the midfielder as someone who "manages to play in the pockets" and possesses the rare ability to strike the ball effectively with both feet.
When pressed on the significance of securing Premier League survival, Riemer acknowledged the magnitude of the achievement while reflecting on Leeds' remarkable recent form. "It is truly something special," he stated. "With three games to go, I think in the form table we are the second best, it's massive. Credit to the players." The assistant coach recognised the challenge posed by Tottenham, adding: "Spurs will go for it, the manager has managed to get them out of relegation places so we need to be up to it and maintain our top form. It is the best form we have been in all season. We want to finish the season on a high and as soon as possible, seal it mathematically."
Tottenham's preparation for this pivotal encounter has been hampered by continued injury concerns, with goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario remaining unavailable following hernia surgery over the international break. Manager Roberto de Zerbi admitted uncertainty surrounding Vicario's return timeline, stating: "He is suffering because he would like to help his teammates, but he is not available." Stand-in keeper Antonin Kinsky has impressed in his absence, producing an outstanding performance in the recent victory over Aston Villa that featured just one shot on target conceded.
Striker Dominic Solanke also misses out with a hamstring problem, though de Zerbi expressed hope he might return for the trip to Chelsea next week. In his absence, Richarlison returned to the starting lineup and scored during the Villa Park win, while Rodrigo Bentancur's substitution caused minor alarm before de Zerbi clarified the midfielder was simply fatigued.

