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Former Leeds United star Michael Bridges has praised the character of the Whites’ players following their home win against Fulham, secured by a stoppage-time winner, saying their resolve has remained unwavering despite the heartbreak of the Newcastle United defeat.
On Saturday, the Elland Road unit hosted Fulham in a closely Premier League contested fixture, with the Cottagers arriving on the back of a six-game unbeaten league run.
Daniel Farke introduced Lukas Nmecha as a substitute in the 81st minute, and the German struck just ten minutes later, netting his fifth goal of the season to secure a 1-0 victory for Leeds.
The league win came as a timely response to a harsh 4-3 away defeat at Newcastle, where Leeds had held the lead until two stoppage-time goals saw the Magpies snatch victory in dramatic fashion.
Bridges commented that the result will prove crucial in Leeds’ fight for survival, arriving at a pivotal moment as other relegation battlers also picked up points, leaving the Whites with an eight-point buffer above the drop zone.
The 47-year-old lauded Leeds’ response following their late winner, highlighting the squad’s character and determination.
He described the scenes at Elland Road, with fans and families celebrating as the team completed a lap of honour.
| Game | Competition |
|---|---|
| Arsenal | Premier League |
| Nottingham Forest | Premier League |
| Manchester City | Premier League |
Reflecting on the crushing defeat at St James’ Park, Bridges emphasised how the players bounced back, showing their character to get a huge three points, which boost their hopes of survival.
The former striker said on LUTV (11:51): “I think it’s a marvellous reaction from the players.
“I mean, the scenes here [Elland Road], the fans celebrating, the youngsters, the family members, it’s just great because the players are doing a lap of honour.
“I predict a riot’s going on.
“Daniel Farke doing his wave.
“Coming from that late defeat against Newcastle, the confidence that you think, is it, can we go and get a result?
“Is that going to impact our campaign?
“Well, it didn’t. I think that shows true character and resolve from the players to be able to get a result here late on.”
The Yorkshire side have climbed to 16th in the table, having collected 25 points from 22 matches.
Last weekend, they beat Championship side Derby County 3-1 in the FA Cup and with hopes of Premier League survival firmly on track, Farke may well fancy a good cup run for Leeds this term.
The Whites have reinforced their squad by securing Facundo Buonanotte on loan from Brighton until the end of the season, a player they had tracked since the summer, adding depth to Farke’s squad, though Jack Harrison has left for Fiorentina on loan.
