UEFA CUP/Fourth round, second let:Leeds United (0) v PSV (0)Rarely can identical results have provoked two such different reactions as Leeds United's pair of 0-0 draws over the past seven days.
Last Thursday's goalless effort in Eindhoven was of such discipline and merit that it seemed their underwhelming start to the year had finally bottomed out. Then came Sunday and another 0-0, this time against Charlton in the Premiership, and suddenly Leeds's domestic agenda had again encroached upon their European hopes. They are now 13 points behind Manchester United at the top of the league and nine behind Liverpool and the fourth Champions League qualifying place.
The dreaded Intertoto Cup, mooted by the chairman Peter Ridsdale a fortnight ago, becomes a more legitimate topic with each league point dropped. If PSV win or manage a score-draw tonight then, scarcely credible as it is seems, the Intertoto may be Leeds's best route back into European competition, which their wage bill demands.
The players, obviously, are not happy with the subject. "Don't talk about it within earshot of our dressing room," said Rio Ferdinand, clearly insulted. "It's something we want to avoid at all costs," said Nigel Martyn.
Martyn and Ferdinand, along with Robbie Fowler and possibly Danny Mills, may be in the England squad for the World Cup, and as Martyn explained: "The England players are meeting up straight after the last Premiership game of the season and the Intertoto starts in July. It's the last thing we want in a World Cup year.
"The chairman has played his trump card by geeing us up with a wake-up call he thought we needed. But the players didn't need to be told."
Victory this evening would help in Intertoto avoidance, of course, and though PSV won 4-0 at the weekend to move into second place in the Dutch league, a decent performance from Mark Viduka and the recalled Alan Smith might be enough.
Failure to qualify would also leave Leeds susceptible to offers for their better players. "Bids come in one way or the other," said the manager David O'Leary.
"The Champions League is an excuse, a nice little spin for players because if they want to go then they will go whether we are in the Champions League or not. If you are saying, might we have to sell somebody, who knows? If we do get a bid for somebody and we're not in the Champions League then we will have to decide what to do."
Olivier Dacourt is injured and is likely to be replaced by David Batty. For PSV there is no Arnold Bruggink.
LEEDS UNITED (probable, 4-4-2): Martyn; Mills, Ferdinand, Matteo, Harte; Bowyer, Batty, Bakke, Kewell; Smith, Viduka.
PSV (probable, 4-4-2): Lodewijks; Bogelund, Ooijer, Hofland, Bouma; Rommedahl, Van Bommel, Vogel, De Jong; Vennegoor of Hesselink, Gakhodizke.
Referee: A Lopez-Nieto (Spain).
