Javi Gracia calls Leeds United collapse against Crystal Palace ‘unbelievable’ before sharing unsuccessful half-time message

Javi Gracia will have to try and get his head around what happened to Leeds United in their shocking 5-1 loss to Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Leeds went 1-0 up against another of their relegation-threatened opponents, with Patrick Bamford breaking the deadlock. However, Palace equalised via Marc Guehi just before half time.

What followed in the second half was sensational. Jordan Ayew scored a brace, with goals from Eberechi Eze and Odsonne Edouard in between.

The defeat has left Leeds two points above the relegation zone, whereas Palace are now six clear of the bottom three.

Leeds manager Gracia described their downfall as “unbelievable” in his post-match interview with Sky Sports.

Gracia said: “It’s unbelievable after that first half we had to finish like that. We dominated the first half and created many chances. We could have finished the game.

“After we conceded before half time everything changed. We started very bad in the second half and didn’t perform as well.”

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Javi Gracia finds Leeds United loss ‘difficult to accept’

At half time, when the scores were still level, Gracia had instructed his players to preserve their efforts from the opening 45 minutes.

Obviously, it seems the message didn’t get through as he intended.

Gracia explained: “We had to improve the things we did. We needed to defend the set-pieces better. Keep going the same way because the first-half performance was good. The goalkeeper did very good saves. To keep going because we did many things well.

“When we conceded the second goal, Palace played really well with the spaces. They have very good players to run, to counter and to defend. Palace were really tough for us.

“We have to be really disappointed because the second half was very bad, the result as well is difficult to accept. It’s only a game. We try to keep a positive mentality for the next game.

“There’s only one way, to work hard and try to understand why we conceded this result today and to try to come back as soon as possible to all the things we’ve been doing well.

“We try to work hard this week to prepare for the next game. I’d like to give the fans a better performance and result.”

Leeds are next in action on Monday April 17 when they welcome Liverpool to Elland Road.

Bamford keen to ensure Palace setback doesn’t define season

Things had got off to a better start for Leeds United when Bamford headed in his 50th goal for the club.

The striker is eager to ensure his side bounce back and refuse to let the 5-1 loss linger over them.

Bamford told Sky: “It was one of those where the first half was really good, we should have been more goals ahead.

“The second half, we fell apart a bit. It was a freak result and one we will move on from.

“They scored the second goal and the third came really quick. They punished us for mistakes. It was one of those games where every mistake we made literally got punished.

“In there the boys were, I don’t want to say upbeat because we lost 5-1, but they understood that one game like that will not decide our season.”