Leeds United still have an outside chance of ending their Premier League return campaign in the top half of the table — a finish that could also deliver a major financial reward.
Daniel Farke’s men travel to West Ham United on Sunday for their final league game of the season, knowing a strong result could yet lift them several places higher in the standings.
Leeds secured survival last week and have continued to show plenty of fight since confirming their top-flight status. A hard-earned 1-1 draw away at Tottenham Hotspur was followed by a dramatic 1-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at Elland Road.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin proved the hero in stoppage time, capitalising on a misplaced Jan Paul van Hecke backpass before rounding Bart Verbruggen and calmly slotting into an empty net in the 95th minute. The late winner sparked huge celebrations inside Elland Road and kept alive Leeds’ slim hopes of sneaking into the top 10.
The Whites now sit 14th in the table on 47 points, but the congested nature of mid-table means they could still climb as high as 10th with a convincing victory over West Ham and favourable results elsewhere.
Four clubs directly above Leeds — Chelsea, Newcastle United, Everton and Fulham — are all locked on 49 points. Chelsea currently occupy 10th place, ahead of Newcastle, Everton and Fulham on goal difference.
On the final day, Chelsea face Sunderland, Everton take on struggling Tottenham, while Fulham host Newcastle at Craven Cottage, guaranteeing at least one of those sides will drop points.
If Fulham and Newcastle draw, while both Chelsea and Everton lose, Leeds would still need a huge win at the London Stadium to break into the top 10. Newcastle currently hold a goal difference of zero, compared to Leeds’ -4, meaning Farke’s side would likely need a 5-0 victory to leapfrog both Newcastle and Fulham on goal difference.
Although that scenario remains highly unlikely, a smaller win could still see Leeds finish an impressive 11th in their first season back in the Premier League.
The final standings could also make a significant difference financially. Premier League merit payments are awarded based on league position, with each place worth close to £3 million.
If Leeds slip to 15th — possible if they lose and Crystal Palace defeat Arsenal — they would receive around £15.9 million based on last season’s figures. Holding onto 14th place would earn roughly £18.6m.
However, if results go perfectly in Leeds’ favour and they climb to 10th, the club could collect around £29.1m in merit payments. That represents a potential swing of more than £13m between finishing 15th and 10th — a sizeable boost as the club prepares for a crucial summer transfer window.
