Luke Ayling has tipped Leeds United to go on and achieve Premier League promotion ahead of the clash with Middlesbrough on Monday.
On loan from Leeds, the veteran right-back will be ineligible to play in the clash at the Riverside on Monday as the Whites aim to move back to second in the Championship table with a victory over Boro. Michael Carrick’s side have little to play for but will take their role in the automatic promotion race seriously, having recently taken two points apiece from Southampton and Ipswich Town.
Ahead of the game, Ayling was back in Leeds for the club’s end-of-season awards evening where, along with long-serving Liam Cooper and Stuart Dallas, he picked up a Special Achievement Award. Upon receiving the recognition, he was inevitably asked about his parent club’s promotion chances.
The Boro loan man said: “Time for these boys to show what they can do, they’re a great team. I’m pretty sure they’ll get promoted” Ethan Ampadu was voted Player of the Year, meanwhile, and, turning attentions to Monday’s game, joked he hoped Ayling – known as Bill – would do them a favour.
Upon receiving his award, he said: “It is very exciting. I have been in years where I have been trying to avoid relegation so this is an exciting pressure, one that all of us are working hard to achieve. “We want to give you fans what you truly deserve and that starts on Monday against Boro, so hopefully Bill [Luke Ayling] can put in a good word for us!”
Ayling has actually been the subject of transfer speculation this weekend, after an impressive spell so far at Boro. Available on a free this summer when his Leeds contract comes to an end, Carrick recently spoke of Ayling’s importance to Boro but could offer no guarantees that Boro would sign the 32-year-old this summer despite almost inevitable interest.
And a potential complication in likely hopes to see Ayling stay at the Riverside next season popped up on Sunday with a report from Sun journalist Alan Nixon which claimed that former Boro boss Chris Wilder wants to sign him for Sheffield United this summer.
The Blades look likely to be relegated from the Premier League and lost 4-1 to Burnley at Bramall Lane on Saturday, with Wilder once again criticising his side’s defending. While there is no confirmation at this stage that Wilder will still be in charge at Sheffield United next season, Nixon claims that Ayling will be a target for them if he is. And with the parachute payments in their favour, they will be capable of offering him a bigger wage packet than Boro – though the defender has clearly enjoyed his time at the Riverside to date.
Attention back on Monday’s clash, Sky Sports pundit David Prutton has predicted that Leeds will get the three points on Teesside. He said: “Leeds need one [a win] don’t they because of what’s going on around them. They’ve looked in a bit of a funk the last few games and not at their rhythmic best but maybe having some real confidence that comes from a whole batch of EFL awards that got chucked their way collectively, maybe that’s spurred them back on because my god they’ve got to get back to it.
“But, it’s not straightforward, as we know, against a Boro side that has at times looked effective this season under Michael [Carrick], but they’ll be disappointed that they’re not going to be knocking on the door of the top six. Prediction: Boro 1-2 Leeds.“
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