Leicester or Leeds could see the end of an era with defeat on Tuesday

Leicester City have won the Premier League and FA Cup in recent years while Leeds played some of the most thrilling football in this country under Marcelo Bielsa… a defeat in their relegation six-pointer could signal the end of an era for both sides

• Leeds host Leicester on Tuesday in what could be a pivotal game for both sides
• Dean Smith is hoping to keep 2016 league champions Leicester in the top-flight
• Javi Gracia has a big job to keep Leeds up and get the job on a permanent basis

Two of the most enjoyable eras of modern times for fans of Leeds United and Leicester City risk an ending that would leave both tarnished as the clubs meet in a relegation six-pointer tonight.

In the last seven years, Leicester have won the Premier League, the FA Cup and the Community Shield. They have reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League, the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League and twice finished fifth.

While Leeds have not tasted that level of success, they played some of the most thrilling football in the country under Marcelo Bielsa, winning promotion back to the Premier League in 2020 after an absence of nearly two decades.

The Argentine united the city and for a short period, a club many other supporters love to hate were suddenly popular. Relegation to the Championship should not wash away the joy of these periods, but it would still produce a sour taste for both sets of supporters.

Leeds, in 16th, are a point and a place above Leicester, but have lost their last three games, conceding 13 goals in the process. In interim boss Dean Smith’s second game in charge, Leicester beat Wolves 2-1 to claim a first win since February 11, ending a run of eight defeats in nine and moving them out of the bottom three.

Leeds host Leicester in a clash that feels like a must-win game for both sides on Tuesday

Leeds are 16th, one point above Leicester who claimed a massive 2-1 win against Wolves

Leicester have won the Premier League, FA Cup (pictured) and Community Shield in the last seven years

Leeds played some of the most enjoyable football in this country under Marcelo Bielsa

But this is the big one for both clubs. Win and survival feels within reach. Lose and belief drains away.

‘It is massively important for everybody, from the owners to the supporters, that we remain a Premier League club,’ said Smith, who led Aston Villa to safety in 2020 but was relegated with Norwich two seasons later.

‘This era has been really good — Premier League, FA Cup, Community Shield and European competition as well. We have to continue to build on it and to do that we need to stay in the league.

‘My remit was for eight games, to come in and treat everybody as the professional footballers they are. See who has the fire in their belly and who wants to go out and perform.’

Smith’s counterpart Javi Gracia will be asking himself the same questions. When the Spaniard was hired to replace Jesse Marsch he made an impact, with three wins from his first six league games.

Yet the manner of the last two results at Elland Road — losing 5-1 to Crystal Palace and 6-1 to Liverpool — has made everyone jittery again.

Like Smith, Gracia is in charge only until the end of the season but surely has work to do to land the role full-time, even if Leeds do sneak out of trouble.

There were further calls for director of football Victor Orta to go during Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Fulham and a desire for a change of ownership is stirring within the fanbase.

Dean Smith (left) was tasked with keeping Leicester up by replacing Brendan Rodgers

Gracia needs them onside against Leicester, saying: ‘We feel really good (at home) as we have the unconditional support of the fans and I’m sure in this game, it will be no different.

‘The players have the belief and the desire — nobody doubts their commitment. But they must let people know the desire they have in the game because in every training session I can feel it. We now have to demonstrate this in the next game.

‘When I arrived, we had not won in 10 Premier League games, but we changed the dynamic and can do it again.’ Leeds will have to handle the return of Leicester’s two most dangerous attackers.

James Maddison and Harvey Barnes missed the Wolves game through illness and injury respectively but should be available tonight. Between them they have 26 goal involvements and have scored 19 of Leicester’s 43 goals in the Premier League.

Gracia must decide whether to oppose them with struggling goalkeeper Illan Meslier after a series of poor displays.

Leeds have lost their last three games under Javi Gracia – with his side conceding 13 goals

He added: ‘Illan has trained well, as usual. We are conceding a lot of goals and it’s something we need to improve, but I back all my players and will then decide who plays in the next game.’

Leicester owner Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha perhaps waited too long before ending Brendan Rodgers’ tenure in charge. He did an outstanding job, but his stint seemed to have run its course well before his departure.

Smith has managed to coax a tune out of defender Caglar Soyuncu, effectively discarded by Rodgers. Midfielder Boubakary Soumare was another who struggled under the previous boss but was decisive against Wolves.

‘We’ve given them training sessions where they can impress us and if they have then they have the right to start,’ said Smith.

‘I’ve not met a professional player that wants to go out there and play badly. They all like a pat on the back. They all like to be told they’ve done well.’

Additional reporting: Ross Heppenstall.

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