Leeds United v Newcastle United: Sam Allardyce says relegation fear should motivate players

Sam Allardyce says the fear of relegation should motive his Leeds United side to fight, as they prepare to host Newcastle United on Saturday.

“The fear needs to drive them on,” said Leeds manager Allardyce.

“The fear of relegation and the fear of losing Premier League status should make them fight and want to fight for their Premier League status.”

Leeds’ final two matches see them travel to face West Ham next week before hosting Tottenham Hotspur on the final day of the season and Allardyce admitted he would be pleased just to have a chance of staying up on the final day.

“We have nine points to go for [and] I would be very satisfied if we were still in it when we take on Tottenham,” he said.

Eddie Howe’s Magpies are the visitors to Elland Road for Allardyce’s first home game since taking charge last week.

Newcastle are third in the table and pushing for Champions League qualification, something Allardyce had ambitions of overseeing during his time in charge of the club.

“Was I disappointed? Yes,” he said, referring to being dismissed at Newcastle in 2008.

“[It was a] massive knockback but I always recover and move on.

“It was a blow to my career at that point in time and I wanted to take [the club] to where it is now. That was the ambition of me and [previous owner] Freddie Shepherd at the time.”

Good omens for Leeds and Allardyce

Since Allardyce’s departure from Newcastle, he has managed five different sides against the Magpies.

His 13 wins against the North East side are more than against any other club in his managerial career and in his last five fixtures against the Magpies – with three different clubs – he has won three times and drawn twice.