Gudmundsson: Clear Goal for Leeds vs Everton Survival Push

Key Points

• Leeds United travel to face Everton on Monday night in the Premier League, aiming to extend a strong run of form that has seen them lose just once in their last ten league matches.
• Left-back Gabriel Gudmundsson has been a key figure in that spell, contributing both defensively and in attack as Leeds have pulled clear of the relegation zone and moved into a position where they can realistically target a top-half finish.​
• Speaking to the media before the Everton game, Gudmundsson warned that Everton will present a “tough challenge” and stressed that in the Premier League “every away game is difficult, with small details” often deciding matches.​
• As reported by the BBC’s Leeds United coverage, Gudmundsson said he believes Leeds are “on a good path” after strong displays against high-level opponents, highlighting the narrow defeat at Newcastle as an example of how close they are to taking points in difficult fixtures.​
• Gudmundsson described himself as “never satisfied”, explaining that even after good results he reviews matches to find “situations” where he can improve, underlining his personal drive and professional standards.​
• Reflecting on the recent win against Fulham, Gudmundsson said he was “very happy for three points” and pleased with the overall performance, but reiterated that “I can always do better things”.​
• The Swedish defender underlined the “quality in this group” at Leeds and credited the coaching staff for helping the team maximise their strengths and stay focused on their objectives.​
• Gudmundsson stated that Leeds’ “one goal this season” is to “stay up” in the Premier League, insisting that all efforts are geared towards securing mathematical safety as early as possible.​
• He said the team has “a clear goal” and must continue to “work hard” because their work-rate and “physical quality” are central to their identity and success on the pitch.​
• On the ball, Gudmundsson highlighted the recent contributions of teammates Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Brenden Aaronson in front of goal, pointing to their scoring form as an example of the attacking quality Leeds have developed while trying to remain compact defensively and avoid conceding too many goals.
• The Everton match comes with both clubs involved in a congested lower half of the table; Everton are seeking to push towards European places while Leeds concentrate on survival, adding extra pressure and significance to the Monday-night fixture.
• Betting analysts and statisticians have noted that Leeds have become tougher to beat, with their last defeat by more than one goal coming back in November, while Everton have improved defensively with multiple recent clean sheets, suggesting a tight, low-scoring encounter may be likely.​
• Everton, managed by David Moyes in this campaign, are expected to be buoyed by the return of key players such as Iliman Ndiaye and by their strong home record at their new stadium, increasing the scale of the task facing Leeds.​
• Gudmundsson’s remarks build on earlier comments from Leeds manager Daniel Farke, who has regularly emphasised team spirit, compactness and defensive discipline as foundations for the club’s fight to remain in the division.​
• Leeds’ recent late win over Fulham, secured by substitute Lukas Nmecha, has been cited internally as evidence of the squad’s resilience and ability to “keep going” over 90 minutes, a theme which Gudmundsson echoed in his latest interview.​
• Analysts point out that an eight-point gap currently separates Leeds from one of their main rivals, West Ham, and that maintaining or extending that cushion through results like a positive outcome at Everton would keep Gudmundsson’s “clear goal” of staying up firmly on track.​
• Leeds’ opening-day victory over Everton at Elland Road, where Gudmundsson and his teammates kept a clean sheet and won through a late penalty from Nmecha, provides a recent reference point for the defender’s confidence that the team can compete again on Merseyside.​​

Leeds (The Leeds Times) January 24, 2026 – Leeds United left-back Gabriel Gudmundsson says the club has “a clear goal” to secure Premier League safety as they travel to Everton on Monday night, insisting the team must keep working hard to turn recent promising performances into crucial points.

How has Leeds United’s form set the stage for the Everton trip?

Leeds arrive at Everton on the back of a strong sequence in which they have lost only once in ten Premier League matches, a run that has taken them away from the immediate danger of the relegation places and into a more stable mid-table position. As highlighted by betting and data analysts previewing the clash, Daniel Farke’s side have not been beaten by more than one goal since November, underlining their growing resilience and tendency to remain competitive deep into matches.

According to coverage of Leeds’ recent fixtures, the narrow defeat at Newcastle and the late home win over Fulham illustrate both sides of that development: the ability to push top-half opposition close and the mentality to find a decisive moment when games are tight. In the Fulham match, substitute Lukas Nmecha scored a dramatic late winner, which Gudmundsson and his teammates have taken as evidence that the group “just need to keep going” because they are now in a strong position to achieve their seasonal target.​

The trajectory has not removed all pressure, however, as the table remains crowded in the lower half and any short downturn could pull Leeds back towards trouble. That context gives their trip to Everton added importance: points on Monday would consolidate the buffer they have built, while defeat could narrow the gap to the bottom three and intensify the tension around forthcoming fixtures.

Why does Gabriel Gudmundsson expect Everton to be a tough away challenge?

As reported by BBC Radio Leeds’ coverage of the club, Gudmundsson stressed that “Everton will be a tough challenge” and expanded on that by saying he believes

“in the Premier League every away game is difficult, with small details”

often making the difference. His comments reflect both respect for Everton’s quality and an understanding that marginal moments – individual duels, decisions in both penalty areas, set-piece situations – can tilt finely-balanced contests.

Pre-match analysis produced by betting experts at Ladbrokes notes that Everton, under David Moyes, have kept three clean sheets in their last five matches and are pushing for European qualification, emphasising that they will be playing with confidence and a clear sense of their own ambitions. The same preview highlights the impact of players such as Iliman Ndiaye returning to the home side’s line-up, reinforcing Gudmundsson’s suggestion that the visitors must be switched on from the first minute to cope with Everton’s attacking threats.​

Everton’s home advantage at their new stadium on Merseyside, and the atmosphere generated by a fanbase that has been energised by improved results, also feature in external analyses of the match-up. Against that backdrop, Gudmundsson’s insistence that small details will be decisive can be seen as a reference to Leeds’ need to manage the occasion, control transitions and remain compact, particularly when Everton enjoy spells of pressure.

In what ways has Gabriel Gudmundsson contributed to Leeds’ recent progress?

Over the last ten Premier League matches, Gudmundsson has emerged as a consistently reliable presence on the left side of Leeds’ defence, offering solidity without the ball and an outlet when the team builds attacks. Local and national coverage alike has credited him with combining aggressive defending and overlapping runs, helping Leeds stretch opponents while maintaining the defensive structure demanded by Farke.​

In official club media and broadcast interviews, Gudmundsson has been described as “impressive” during this recent spell, a term that encompasses his positioning, energy and willingness to support both phases of play. As emphasised in BBC reporting, his comments reflect that he does not dwell on praise, repeatedly stating that he is “never satisfied” and constantly reviews each game to identify moments he can execute better.​

That self-criticism surfaced again when he discussed the win over Fulham: Gudmundsson said he was “very happy for three points” and “happy for the performance”, but immediately added that he “can always do better things”. Such remarks suggest that his contribution is not limited to on-pitch actions but extends to setting standards in the dressing room, reinforcing the culture of continuous improvement that Farke and his staff are keen to foster.​

What did Gudmundsson say about Leeds’ goal to stay in the Premier League?

As reported by BBC Radio Leeds, Gudmundsson made it clear that, despite their improved form and talk of potentially climbing further up the table, Leeds’ primary objective remains survival, stating: “We have one goal this season to stay up.” He went on to explain that the squad is fully aligned behind that aim and that they

“just need to make sure that we work hard as we have done so far because that is our strength to show that physical quality as well”.​

The defender highlighted the “quality in this group and with help of the coaching staff”, framing the survival push as a joint effort between players and management. In earlier remarks covered by the BBC, he referenced an eight-point gap to West Ham in the table and suggested that, if Leeds could add another eight points over the coming weeks, they could move towards ninth place, underlining that the target of staying up does not preclude ambition to finish as high as possible.​

This focus on a clear, achievable goal mirrors the message regularly delivered by Farke, who has spoken about the need to “earn the right” to remain in the league through performance levels rather than relying on other teams’ results. Gudmundsson’s reaffirmation of that stance before a demanding away fixture at Everton serves to anchor expectations and maintain concentration, even as positive results start to shift external narratives towards potential overachievement.

How does Gudmundsson view Leeds’ strengths on and off the ball?

In his pre-match comments, Gudmundsson underlined that Leeds’ work-rate and physical attributes form a core part of their identity, arguing that the team must continue to “work hard” and “show that physical quality” in order to sustain their recent run. These traits have been evident in metrics highlighted by analysts, who note Leeds’ intensity without the ball and capacity to sustain pressing and recovery runs over the full 90 minutes.

On the ball, Gudmundsson pointed to the attacking contributions of teammates such as Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Brenden Aaronson, saying Leeds have “shown lately the qualities we have” with those players

“scoring goals and trying to be compact and not concede too many goals”.

As covered in the wider preview of the Everton fixture, such balance between threat in the final third and defensive compactness has been central to Leeds becoming harder to beat while still carrying enough firepower to edge tight games.

These comments echo assessments from pundits who have praised Leeds’ ability to remain “always in a game”, with their last heavy defeat coming months ago, and to find decisive moments even when matches are cagey. For Gudmundsson, the challenge against Everton is to reproduce that blend of physical intensity, tactical discipline and sharpness in attack in a more hostile environment, knowing that lapses could be punished quickly at this level.

How does the previous Everton meeting shape expectations for Monday night?

Leeds’ most recent league meeting with Everton came on the opening day of the season at Elland Road, where the hosts secured a 1-0 victory thanks to an 84th-minute penalty converted by Lukas Nmecha. In the club’s official report on that match, Gudmundsson was quoted as saying Leeds “showed real confidence” and “suffered together”, stressing that the three points were deserved after a disciplined and intense performance.​​

As reported by the Leeds United media team, he also highlighted the impact of the home atmosphere, calling it “amazing” and urging supporters to recreate that noise in future games to help push the team through difficult moments. That experience of edging a tight contest against the same opponents provides a natural reference point ahead of the return fixture, even if the conditions – an away match at Everton’s new home with Moyes’ side in improved form – are different.​

Pre-match betting previews have framed Monday’s encounter as an opportunity for Everton to “exact revenge” for that opening-day defeat, with home advantage and recent defensive solidity leading some analysts to tip a narrow win for the hosts. Against that narrative, Gudmundsson’s emphasis on small details and Leeds’ clear goal to stay up underlines that the visitors intend to be just as competitive on Merseyside as they were at Elland Road, drawing confidence from their previous success and current momentum.