Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink backs Leeds United to get ‘over the line’

By Harry Whitfield

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink believes his former side Leeds United will secure promotion this season as he feels the Premier League is a ‘richer place’ with the Whites in it.

Currently top of the Championship, with their Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United in second but level on points, Daniel Farke’s side have just eight games left to defend their position.

The Whites have endured a tough run as of late, dropping points in their last match against QPR, despite overturning a 2-0 deficit in London.

Before a midweek victory over Millwall, Leeds suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Portsmouth after a 1-1 draw to West Bromwich Albion.

Confidence

With seven points dropped in their last four games, their rivals have reduced the gap with just two points separating the top three.

Hasselbaink, who won a Premier League Golden Boot playing for Leeds in 1999, insists the Championship side will make a return to the top division of English football despite their recent dip in form.

“They will get it over the line,” he told the Gambling Zone.

“They drew against QPR, but I’ve got all the confidence that they will get it over the line.”

Not only does he anticipate the Whites to secure promotion this season, but the 52-year-old expects them to put up a “good fight” in the Premier League.

“Leeds are one of those clubs that hold a special place in English football,” Hasselbaink explained.

“We know that the Premier League will be a richer place with them in it, and because of the size of the club and the way that it’s run with the new owners, if you’re a Leeds fan you would be pretty confident that they could put up a very good fight in terms of staying in the division.”

Agony

Last year ended in agony for Leeds, with the club having to go through the play-offs after missing out on automatic promotion to Leicester City and Ipswich Town.

Making their way past Norwich City in the semi-finals, they faced Southampton in the lucrative Championship play-off final for a chance to secure an immediate return to the top flight.

Adam Armstrong scored the only goal of the game as Leeds once again failed to succeed in the play-offs for the sixth time in their history.

However, the Premier League icon thinks Leeds can use the devastation of last year to their advantage.

He added: “After what happened last season, the agony of the play-offs, I expect them and Daniel Farke to have learned from that experience, while also using it as motivation to ensure that come May, Leeds are celebrating returning to the promised land of the Premier League.”

READ MORE: QPR 2-2 Leeds United: Daniel Farke blames himself as Whites settle for a point