Leeds’ three-season stay in the Premier League is over after a 4-1 home defeat to Tottenham confirmed their relegation.

Harry Kane and Pedro Porro scored early in either half to put Spurs 2-0 up and, although Jack Harrison reduced the deficit, Kane struck a game-clinching second in what could be his last game for the London club.

Tottenham substitute Lucas Moura rubbed salt into Leeds’ wounds by waltzing through a porous defence in stoppage time to complete their misery.

Leeds went into the final day needing not only victory, but for relegation rivals Everton and Leicester to drop points and, since they both won, the Yorkshire club’s 21st league defeat of the season was immaterial.

The hosts have not kept a clean sheet since February and their hopes of doing so on Sunday went up in smoke in just the second minute.

The ease with which Porro and Son Heung-min combined to carve open the defence typified Leeds’ season, with Kane finding space among headless chickens to hit the first nail into the home side’s coffin.

Leeds fans responded to Kane’s 28th league goal of the season with raucous defiance, ‘We’re going down’ being one of their chants.

Leeds’ players rallied and did their best to give something back to the Elland Road faithful, but in terms of confidence and quality they have long been running on empty.

Robin Koch spurned their best chance, heading wayward from in front of goal from Rodrigo’s brilliant cross before Pascal Struijk’s shot was deflected for a corner.

Adam Forshaw’s fierce drive was blocked by Davinson Sanchez and another Koch header curled the wrong side of a post.

Leeds boss Sam Allardyce cut a forlorn figure in the dugout and saw his side waste further first-half chances as Rodrigo headed Forshaw’s cross off target and Rasmus Kristensen volleyed over.

Tottenham continually threatened on the break without creating any more first-half scoring chances, but they soon remedied that.

Just as they had done in the first half, Leeds conceded inside the opening two minutes of the second as Kane brilliantly set up Porro, who arrowed a low shot into the far corner from a narrow angle to put the visitors 2-0 up.

Leeds gamely searched for a goal of their own and were rewarded when Harrison made space on the edge of the area to drill a low shot into the far corner.

But within two minutes Tottenham restored their two-goal advantage. Sanchez’s simple long clearance caught Leeds’ defence all at sea and Kane curled a neat finish inside the far post.

As Leeds fans vented their fury at their club’s plight in the closing stages, Moura – on his last appearance for the north London club – completed the scoring after a mazy run from halfway before chants of ‘Sack the board’ rang out through the home terraces.

Ryan Mason has trust in the key decision-makers at Tottenham to get the big calls right this summer.

Spurs’ acting head coach Mason will take his squad to relegation-threatened Leeds on the final day in what is set to be his last fixture in charge.

Eighth-placed Tottenham remain without a permanent manager or managing director of football and could miss out on Europe for the first time since the 2009-10 campaign unless they better Aston Villa’s result and match Brentford’s on Sunday.

Crunch decisions are required by chairman Daniel Levy and the board, with a promise already made to supporters over the style Spurs will try to play next season.

Last Saturday’s programme notes from Levy pledged the team will go back to “football you will love to come and watch” after the recent pragmatism and counter-attacking of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte.

Mason feels a stable brand of football will help, and he said: “We’ve probably had two or three different styles of football in the last two or three years and I don’t think that is good for any squad of players or for fans.

“When you lose people, lose coaches, lose players, lose members of staff, the impact is huge if you keep going from different things.

“Like I say, going forward it really is important and we see it in the Premier League, we see it across the leagues, I want people to know who Tottenham are, know what a Tottenham team looks like and certainly know what a Tottenham player looks like.

“This is just how I view the situation as it is. Obviously there will be loads of conversations in the summer about going forward.

“There is a lot of people here who really care and want the club to get back to where we want, where we expect and where we hope to be.

“Them conversations and decisions I am sure will be made in the summer. I trust the people making them decisions.”

Quizzed about how the managerial search could impact Spurs’ transfer business, Mason admitted the club need a new man in place before they can go after targets.

“There is work because we have a big squad, a lot of players on loan and decisions to make,” he said.

“The most important work is probably away from the transfer window right now because you need a manager in place, you need commitment, you need an idea to know where you go.

“You can’t do transfer business without a manager because it might not fit his idea. At the moment I believe we need an idea of what we want to do, who we want to be and stick to it. Recruit people for that and ultimately recruit players for that.”

There remains uncertainty over the future of Harry Kane, who is approaching the final year of his Spurs contract.

Mason would not be drawn on what next for the Tottenham forward but insisted it is imperative every club has a long-term plans in place.

He added: “For any player, manager, member of staff at this football club, when one leaves it’s important to have a succession plan in place.

“So, when people do leave, the next one comes in and the impact isn’t so big. That’s not just speaking about Harry. That’s speaking about other players.

“For me, it’s really important that there’s an identity in all departments.

“If you want to be successful on the pitch then everyone working for the organisation within the football club has to be on board with what we are and who we are.

“I hope going forward that’s definitely the case.”

Sam Allardyce said Leeds chairman Andrea Radrizzani was “hugely frustrated and disappointed” as the club stand on the brink of relegation.

The Premier League concludes on Sunday and Leeds must beat Tottenham at Elland Road while hoping relegation rivals Everton and Leicester both drop points in their final games.

Majority shareholder Radrizzani boldly declared last summer that another relegation battle was “impossible” after Leeds had survived on the final day with victory at Brentford.

But the odds of pulling off another great escape are even bigger this time round and Allardyce said: “He’s hugely frustrated and disappointed.

“He didn’t expect at the start of the season that the club would be in this position.

“He didn’t expect he would have to employ three managers to get out of this position. He’s hugely frustrated.

“The only way you sort that out is at the end of the season, have a look at the whole structure of the football club, and do whatever needs to be done.

“But in the meantime the only focus is one big game, one massive game for the players and for us all in controlling the destiny of Leeds, only by winning and hoping that other people lose.

“It’s not what we wanted, but it’s the position we’re in.”

Radrizzani is reported to be part of a consortium poised to complete a takeover of Italian club Sampdoria, in partnership with Paris St Germain owners Qatari Sports Investments.

The Italian, who turned to Allardyce with four games left in a last-ditch bid to retain Leeds’ top-flight status, is expected to expedite the sale of his remaining shares to 49ers Enterprises.

The financial arm of NFL franchise the San Francisco 49ers increased its stake in the club to 44 per cent at the end of 2021 and has an option to own 100 per cent by January next year.

Allardyce has taken one point from his three games in charge since becoming Leeds’ third manager of the season.

Marcelo Bielsa’s successor Jesse Marsch was sacked in February and his replacement Javi Gracia lasted 11 league games before he too was dismissed.

Allardyce, open to talks about staying in the role whatever Sunday’s outcome, said: “We’ll try and take advantage of the fact we’ve still got a small window of opportunity open.

“On the balance of where we are, there are two completely different avenues where the club goes down.

“You can pencil things in, but the only way you can put it in ink is whether you’re in the Premier League or you’re not.”

Allardyce invited in Leeds great Eddie Gray, plus former captains Gordon Strachan and Gary McAllister for inspirational talks with his players this week.

The former England boss added: “They had very successful times here and I think on the mentality side it’s about improving our mentality to deliver.

“So somebody speaking a different voice about football, about what they did at this club, how much they love this club, I think is really important.”

Ryan Mason insists Tottenham are still a “big club” and an attractive proposition for managers despite the ongoing search for a new head coach.

Spurs saw another contender to permanently replace Antonio Conte exit the running this week after Feyenoord boss Arne Slot committed his long-term future to the Eredivisie club before he signed a new deal on Friday.

Tottenham held an interest in Slot but the PA news agency understands no direct discussions with the 44-year-old took place.

Mason is under no illusions the top job at Spurs remains desirable.

“It is Tottenham Hotspur, it is a big club. Not just for managers or coaches, but for staff members, for players,” Spurs’ acting head coach said before Sunday’s trip to Leeds.

“Anyone here should feel the privilege and honour to represent the badge. If they don’t, then they shouldn’t be here. It is as simple as that.

“Maybe these people (like Slot) you might be mentioning, I don’t know who because I’ve not been looking at the press, but if their name is out there, they are not exactly moving themselves away from it. They know it is a big club.

“They know if Tottenham and their name is being linked, it is a massive positive for them.

“It is a big club, we know it is. Every manager and every coach knows it is a big club, players do, fans do.

“You can really feel it when you are here, when you are in our stadium. This will stay a big club and will be attractive for whoever is in charge next season.

“I am sure players as well will want to come here.

When Conte left his position on March 26 Tottenham were firmly in the race for Champions League qualification, but they travel to relegation-threatened Leeds on Sunday with only a faint chance of securing a place in the Europa Conference League.

Mason insisted that, while European football for next season is crucial, the most important task for the club is to put a plan in place.

“Obviously it has its implications and it’s not where the football club wants to be. We definitely want to be competing in Europe,” the 31-year-old stated.

“Any European competition is important for a club this size but at the same time the most important thing, regardless of whether we’re in or out of Europe, is that there is a plan and there is commitment from everyone to that going forward.”

During the last few weeks, Mason has repeatedly referenced the need for commitment at the club without going into specifics.

Even before Conte departed two months ago, the future of the Italian was uncertain with his deal set to expire this summer anyway.

Mason again refused to be drawn on whether any coaches, players or members of staff had lacked commitment this season, but admitted the squad had been affected by the turmoil off the pitch.

He added: “The results before he (Conte) left weren’t amazing. I don’t think results have dipped a huge amount.

“Obviously we were in a different position but I think you could feel it, you could feel it the weeks leading up to it there was uncertainty and it’s never great to have that uncertainty.

“We’ve probably been in that situation for the last eight weeks where there’s been a lot of uncertainty.

“That is why one of my main things when me and my team of people came in, I wanted to create a togetherness and make us feel part of something towards the end of the season.”

Ryan Mason insists the Tottenham job remains an attractive proposition despite another protracted search for the head coach role.

Spurs saw another contender to permanently replace Antonio Conte exit the running this week after Feyenoord boss Arne Slot committed his long-term future to the Eredivisie club before he signed a new deal on Friday.

Tottenham held an interest in Slot but no direct discussions with the 44-year-old took place, the PA news agency understands.

Other managers linked with the vacancy, such as Bayer Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso and Burnley boss Vincent Kompany, have also pledged their immediate futures to their current clubs, but acting head coach Mason is under no illusions the top job at Spurs remains desirable.

Asked if the Tottenham job was still an attractive proposition, Mason replied: “Absolutely, yes.

“It is Tottenham Hotspur, it is a big club. Not just for managers or coaches, but for staff members, for players.

“Anyone here should feel the privilege and honour to represent the badge. If they don’t, then they shouldn’t be here. It is as simple as that.”

When Conte left his position on March 26, Tottenham were firmly in the race for Champions League qualification but they travel to relegation-threatened Leeds on Sunday with only a faint chance of securing a place in the Europa Conference League.

Mason insisted that, while European football for next season is crucial, the most important task for the club is to put a plan in place.

“Obviously it has its implications and it’s not where the football club wants to be. We definitely want to be competing in Europe,” Spurs’ acting head coach stated.

“Any European competition is important for a club this size but at the same time the most important thing, regardless of whether we’re in or out of Europe, is that there is a plan and there is commitment from everyone to that going forward.”

During the last few weeks, Mason has repeatedly referenced the need for commitment at the club without going into specifics.

Even before Conte departed two months ago, the future of the Italian was uncertain with his deal set to expire this summer anyway.

Mason again refused to be drawn on whether any coaches, players or staff had lacked commitment this season, but admitted the squad had been affected by the turmoil off the pitch.

He added: “The results before he (Conte) left weren’t amazing. I don’t think results have dipped a huge amount.

“Obviously we were in a different position but I think you could feel it, you could feel it the weeks leading up to it there was uncertainty and it’s never great to have that uncertainty.

“We’ve probably been in that situation for the last eight weeks where there’s been a lot of uncertainty.

“That is why one of my main things when me and my team of people came in, I wanted to create a togetherness and make us feel part of something towards the end of the season.”

Sam Allardyce has confirmed he will discuss whether he will continue as Leeds boss with the club’s hierarchy after Sunday’s final Premier League game of the season.

Allardyce gave his biggest hint yet that he would be interested in remaining in the role, even if Leeds are relegated on the final day, after their last match against Tottenham at Elland Road.

The former England manager said: “That’s to be decided at the end. It’s always been a case of we will discuss whatever we need to discuss at the end of the season based on where we are.

“Also based on what I think the club needs to go forward and based on what the club thinks and if that’s aligned with each other, then we’ll wait and see.

“But that discussion, it doesn’t happen in a morning or one day, it happens over a period of time and I just hope that we’re talking on a very positive nature on Monday morning and I have a hangover!”

Leeds’ top-flight status hinges on them beating Tottenham and even victory will not be enough to save them unless the results of both relegation rivals, Everton and Leicester, go their way.

Injuries to strikers Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo in last week’s 3-1 defeat at West Ham appeared to have dealt Leeds’ survival hopes another blow.

But Rodrigo returned to training on Friday while Bamford has not yet been ruled out and Allardyce said he would be prepared to take a risk with any of his injured players with so much at stake.

“I’ll gamble on anyone’s fitness if they want to play, if I think they can make a contribution to help us try to win the game,” Allardyce said.

“It’s the last game, they will have plenty of time to recover, but there is obviously medical issues where if you play them the risk is too great and a lot of it is up to the player himself.”

Leeds turned to Allardyce after sacking Javi Gracia with four games of the season remaining in a last-ditch bid to escape the drop.

The former Bolton, West Ham and Everton boss has collected just one point in his first three outings but said camp spirit had risen after last week’s bitter disappointment when survival was taken out of Leeds’ hands.

The 68-year-old, whose side have trained this week at Elland Road, added: “I’ve loved the mood and loved the application. We’re going to live or die on Sunday in terms of the result.

“We train here (at Elland Road) for three days building up to the game. Familiarity, it’s all about this arena on Sunday with obviously the fantastic atmosphere that will go with it.”

The fight for Premier League survival reaches its climax on Sunday with three clubs still scrapping for their top-flight lives.

Two of Everton, Leicester and Leeds will join already-relegated Southampton in the Sky Bet Championship next season on what is set to be a dramatic final day of the campaign.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at what each club needs to happen if they are to avoid the drop.

Everton

Opposition: Bournemouth (h)

Position: 17th

Points: 33

Goal difference: -24

The equation is simple for the Toffees: win and their fears are over regardless of what happens elsewhere. Anything less could prove fatal.

A draw would open the door for Leicester to leapfrog them on goal difference with a win, while Leeds could also overhaul them on goals scored with victory by three or more.

However, Everton would be safe even in defeat if both the Foxes and Leeds failed to win.

Leicester

Opposition: West Ham (h)

Position: 18th

Points: 31

Goal difference: -18

Victory is the only option for Dean Smith’s men and even then, it might not prove enough.

Leicester also need Everton not to win – defeat for the Toffees would keep them up by a point, while a draw at Goodison would edge City to safety on goal difference.

Leeds

Opposition: Tottenham (h)

Position: 19th

Points: 31

Goal difference: -27

Like the Foxes, Leeds must win and even then, they would have to keep their fingers crossed that both Everton and Leicester did not.

In the event that Everton drew, they would need to make up three clear goals to leapfrog them.

At the same time, Sam Allardyce’s men would have to achieve an improbable goal swing – they head into the weekend nine worse off – to edge past Leicester if they managed to beat West Ham.

Leicester boss Dean Smith believes his side have piled the pressure onto Everton after seeing his team set up a dramatic final day of the Premier League season with a battling draw at high-flying Newcastle.

The 2016 champions will head into Sunday’s home clash with West Ham knowing even victory might not prove enough to keep them in the top-flight, but having piled the pressure on rivals Everton and Leeds.

If the Toffees win at home to Bournemouth, both City and Sam Allardyce’s side, who host Tottenham, will be relegated regardless of their results.

But a draw at Goodison Park coupled with a Leicester win would see the Foxes survive by virtue of goal difference and Smith believes they have put the heat on Everton.

“I think we have because if they draw and we win, we stay up. I did say it might be down to goal difference,” Smith said.

“But we’ve got a tough game against West Ham, who have just qualified for a European final and have got a very good manager who’s a friend of mine, David Moyes, who I have got a lot of respect for.

“He’ll make it, certainly, a really tough game for us. We hope now that we can get to the King Power and if fortunes go our way…

“We have taken it to the last game, we’ve made Everton have to win if we win ourselves.”

The need to win – something City have done on only eight occasions to date in the league this season – means there is no margin for error on Sunday with two points currently separating them from the final safe spot in the table.

However, Smith will not adopt a gung-ho approach to the task.

“No, because if you chuck everything, they have got good enough players – they’ve just qualified for a European final – that they could open some doors against us, and we can’t allow that,” Smith added.

“We have to make sure that we play a balanced performance to make sure we don’t give big chances away, but go and create some.”

It was a very different balance on Tyneside, where Smith admitted he had set up simply to avoid defeat by a team chasing and ultimately securing Champions League qualification, although the visitors might have emerged with three priceless points had Nick Pope not made his only save of the game to keep out Timothy Castagne’s stoppage-time volley.

“Have I gambled with Leicester’s future? No. I am a bit of a risk-taker, but that wasn’t a gamble,” Smith said when asked about his approach.

“If I came here and went at Newcastle, we could have been beaten four or five. It wasn’t a gamble.

“We kept a clean sheet, which was what we needed to do. We need to score, which we know we’ve got our problems with.”

Leeds stand on the brink of Premier League relegation after Sunday’s 3-1 defeat at West Ham.

The Yorkshire club’s three-season stay in the top-flight will be over if they fail to beat Tottenham next Sunday and, depending on other results, victory on the final day might not be enough to save them.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the reasons why it has gone wrong at Elland Road.

Bielsa legacy casts shadow

Leeds chairman Andrea Radrizzani, former director of football Victor Orta and chief executive Angus Kinnear received huge acclaim when the club ended their 16-year Premier League exile in 2020. They played a masterstroke by handing the keys to the bus to head coach Marcelo Bielsa in 2018, but their legacy was always going to be defined by how they filled the vacuum after sacking him in February 2022. The bus stalled when poor results cost the Argentinian his job. The board has since got most of its key decisions wrong and all the wheels, one by one, have fallen off.

What exactly did the board get wrong?

Bielsa’s successor Jesse Marsch was hailed as a natural replacement, but performances and results did not improve. Leeds survived relegation last season on the final day and when Marsch was sacked in February this year he left the club in a worse position in the table. The board’s failed, ill-conceived bids to hire Rayo Vallecano’s Andoni Iraola and Feyenoord’s Arne Slot led to accusations of panic and, after a fans’ backlash, they also reneged on appointing former Ajax boss Alfred Schreuder. So in came Javi Gracia. The club then admitted they had erred in that decision by parachuting Sam Allardyce into Elland Road with four league games remaining.

Can relegation be blamed solely on the managers?

No. After Leeds defied the odds to finish ninth under Bielsa in their first season back in the top flight, they have failed to sufficiently strengthen their squad. A lack of cover for an injury-prone Patrick Bamford and midfielder Tyler Adams are prime examples. It has also been an imbalanced squad with wide players in abundance, but no depth in other key areas. Some signings since promotion, such as Raphinha, Adams, Luis Sinisterra and Willy Gnonto, have been a success, but too many others have failed to make an impact, while the arrival of club record signing Georginio Rutter has left fans scratching their heads.

Has the ownership issue muddied the waters?

The last-ditch appointment of Allardyce was symptomatic of Leeds’ mis-management and of a club in limbo since the investment arm of San Francisco 49ers increased its stake to 44 per cent at the end of 2021. 49ers Enterprises has an option to own 100 per cent by January next year and the ownership issue has not helped decision-making. Orta’s resignation in protest over Gracia’s sacking has left Leeds without a director of football and, if Allardyce departs as expected, they will be without a long-term head coach. How relegation would affect the takeover remains to be seen, while Radrizzani has been linked with a takeover of Sampdoria. With relegation looming a rudderless ship appears to be heading for the rocks.

Luke Ayling believes Leeds have lost their renowned fitness levels in a damning assessment of their plight this season.

The Whites were left on the brink of relegation from the Premier League after a 3-1 defeat at West Ham on Sunday.

They took the lead through Rodrigo but were pegged back by an equaliser from Declan Rice.

Then Leeds, famed for their stamina under former boss Marcelo Bielsa, wilted in the second half as goals from Jarrod Bowen and Manuel Lanzini left them needing a final-day miracle to stay up.

“I think in years gone past, teams feared us when it comes to a running point of view and our fitness and stuff and I just don’t feel like it’s there this season,” full-back Ayling told Sky Sports.

“We start so well, we start bright, we score a goal then they score a goal. That can happen at this level, but then we came out for the second half and we just can’t go again so it’s very disappointing.”

Rice, set for a big-money move away this summer, marked what is expected to be his final home appearance with a goal.

The England midfielder was named the club’s player of the year before kick-off and could sign off in style by lifting the Europa Conference League trophy next month.

“I said it roughly one year ago that he is on the way to becoming one of the best defensive midfielders in the world,” said full-back Vladimir Coufal.

“As a person, he is a top leader. I think he saved our season.”

Lanzini, whose West Ham contract expires at the end of the season, came on as a late substitute and scored with virtually his first touch.

“Manu is one of the best footballers I’ve ever met,” added Coufal.

“His composure on the ball and vision on the pitch is amazing. I’m so grateful that he’s been my team-mate. He’s a fantastic player and he deserved his goal. The celebration showed how likeable he is as a person and a player.”

Sam Allardyce insisted he had no regrets about taking the Leeds job despite the Whites looking destined for relegation from the Premier League.

Allardyce’s rescue mission has not gone to plan and goals from Declan Rice, Jarrod Bowen and Manuel Lanzini saw West Ham come from behind to inflict a damaging 3-1 defeat.

Allardyce arrived at Elland Road as a last-ditch appointment with four games to go, but his first three matches have provided just one point.

Now they need to beat Tottenham next weekend and hope a Bournemouth side with nothing to play for can do them a favour at Everton.

Moreover, should Leicester beat Newcastle on Monday night, the Whites will start the final day second from bottom.

Yet Allardyce, 68, insists he knows where the problems lie and, were he to be given the chance, how to fix them.

The former West Ham boss said: “The challenge is to try to beat Tottenham and deliver a performance. We’ll give ourselves a chance if we win and then see what happens. Our only hope is to win that game.

“If we don’t make it in the end it’s a case of trying to do your best for the club. I can only try my best and give the players the right instructions to show them how win a game of football. Unfortunately for me and for them it hasn’t worked yet.

“It was always going to be a difficult task. Lots of people said I’m mad for taking it. I’m not mad. I just love football and Leeds United was too big a job to turn down for me, however short it was.

“The evidence is all there to know what’s wrong and what to put right. It doesn’t take long to work it out, does it, after 1,100 games as a manager. I sorted this club out, didn’t I? Still here, isn’t it? I’ve sorted a few others out.

“At the end of the season we’ll have that discussion. Hopefully in the Premier League, fingers crossed.”

Leeds need more than crossed fingers to save themselves, even though they took the lead through Rodrigo’s volley.

They lost Patrick Bamford to injury and Rodrigo was also struggling by the end, leaving Allardyce with even more of a headache next weekend.

“The impact of the substitutes wasn’t what I expected, none of them made a difference when we needed them,” he added.

West Ham, safe from relegation and with a Europa Conference League final to look forward to, should have been easy pickings.

But Leeds’ afternoon unravelled when Rice – named Hammer of the year before kick-off, six years to the day since he made his debut against Burnley – marked what is likely to be his last home game for the club with the equaliser.

Boss David Moyes again straight-batted questions about the England midfielder’s likely move away this summer.

“Declan played very well today, but he’s been playing well all season. He scored a really good goal, he’s a very good footballer,” said the Scot.

Bowen was played in by Danny Ings to hit the second and substitute Lanzini was given a tap-in in stoppage time thanks to Lucas Paqueta’s audacious assist.

“It’s a terrific win after the week we’ve had,” added Moyes. “You’re never quite sure after a Thursday game to Sunday, and from the opening 15 minutes I wasn’t sure.

“But they showed great character, and great mentality. It was a really good victory in the end.”

Leeds were shoved to the brink of relegation from the Premier League after their ‘must-win’ match at West Ham ended in a 3-1 defeat.

Sam Allardyce’s rescue mission reached crisis point after goals from Declan Rice, Jarrod Bowen and Manuel Lanzini denied them the victory their new manager admitted they needed to have any realistic chance of staying up.

Allardyce arrived at Elland Road as a last-ditch appointment with four games to go, but his first three matches have provided just two points.

Now Leeds need to beat Tottenham next weekend and hope a Bournemouth side with nothing to play for can do them an almighty favour at Everton.

Moreover, should Leicester beat Newcastle on Monday night, the Whites will start the final day second from bottom.

They got off to a great start at the London Stadium as well, with Rodrigo volleying them into an early lead.

But Rice, named West Ham’s player of the year before kick-off – six years to the day since he made his debut against Burnley –  marked what is likely to be his last home game for the club by equalising with his 15th goal in claret and blue.

The Hammers, safe from relegation and with a Europa Conference League final to look forward, should have been easy pickings. They even walked out carrying their children as mascots, giving a distinct end-of-season feel to proceedings.

But Bowen’s 12th goal of the season and a late strike from Lanzini saw them sign off from the London Stadium with only their second win in six matches to leave Leeds in deep, deep trouble.

Yet Leeds took a deserved lead after 17 minutes, albeit thanks to some awful defending.

West Ham had conceded to a long throw at Brentford last weekend but clearly had not learned their lesson. Fiorentina, their European opponents in Prague next month, should take note.

This time they somehow let a throw from Weston McKennie float on to the left boot of Rodrigo, who swept it first time into the net from 10 yards out.

However, Leeds lost Patrick Bamford to injury moments later, and with him went much of their attacking spark.

The Hammers may have been off the pace, but they equalised in the 32nd minute with a delightful goal from Rice.

Pablo Fornals, the goalscoring hero at AZ Alkmaar on Thursday night, scooped the ball over the Leeds defence to Bowen, whose chip across goal was sidefooted into the ground and up into the roof of the net by the England midfielder.

Leeds should have gone back in front before half-time when Rodrigo robbed Kurt Zouma and cut the ball back but Wilfried Gnonto, on for Bamford, took an air-shot before Jack Harrison sliced his shot wide.

Allardyce’s response on the touchline, throwing his arms in the air in frustration, said it all.

Leeds, bafflingly, were the more passive team after the break with goalkeeper Joel Robles having to beat away a long-range drive from Lucas Paqueta and tip Tomas Soucek’s header over.

They paid the price with 18 minutes left when Danny Ings played in Bowen, who slipped the ball past Robles.

Then substitute Lanzini, another likely to leave West Ham in the summer, tucked in Paqueta’s cut-back – despite a VAR check appearing to show the Brazilian was offside – to send Leeds spinning to what looks likely to be an extremely costly defeat.

Leeds boss Sam Allardyce said it is “do or die” for his relegation battlers in Sunday’s Premier League game at West Ham.

The Yorkshire club, third from bottom and one point from safety, have just two fixtures left in their bid to retain their top-flight status.

Allardyce, halfway through his salvage mission after replacing former boss Javi Gracia with four games remaining, agreed Sunday’s trip to the capital was effectively a ‘cup final’.

The former England manager said: “That’s it. Do or die lads. Fight. Fight to the end.

“But fight with the right temperament and have the right amount of control and don’t lose control. And certainly don’t lose the game-plan.”

Victories for relegation rivals Nottingham Forest and Everton on Saturday, against Arsenal and at Wolves respectively, would leave Leeds under severe pressure to collect all three points at the London Stadium.

Allardyce said only time will tell if his players will cope with the pressure.

“I think that it is a difficult situation if you find that the teams down there on the Saturday have picked up three points and it’s almost a near certainty that you have to get three points to stay in the race,” he said.

“So when it comes around and whatever the situation is when we get to Sunday afternoon, we have to deal with it, we have to accept it and we have to make it spur us on to the best performance we can give.

“No matter what happens on Saturday we have to deliver a three-point scenario at West Ham to try and save our Premier League status and handling the pressure that comes with that is a big question of ‘can you?'”

Leeds sacked Gracia, who had only replaced Jesse Marsch in February, after a series of damaging, heavy defeats.

Performances have improved sufficiently in the two games under Allardyce – a 2-1 defeat at Manchester City and last week’s 2-2 home draw against Newcastle – to leave fans with some sense of hope.

Allardyce, who refused to be drawn on whether he will stay at Elland Road beyond the end of the season, said he could not fault his players for effort and has challenged them now to show more quality on the ball.

“I think confidence has grown, I think application has been applied. I think that possession could get better,” he added.

“I think we’ve been so up for it and so frantic to try and do well, and close the opposition down and make life difficult, that when we’ve actually won the ball back we’ve still been so hyper that we haven’t been able to calm down and control ourselves to play the right ball and the right pass more often.

“So the difference between those two is something we’ve talked about, about being calmer when we’re on the ball.”

Leeds boss Sam Allardyce has urged Patrick Bamford to respond to threats made on social media by scoring the winner at West Ham on Sunday.

Allardyce also wants “the police to do a lot more” after Bamford’s penalty miss in last week’s home draw against Newcastle prompted online abuse directed at both the striker and his family.

Leeds issued a statement this week condemning the threats posted on Twitter and Allardyce said: “He’s been OK, he’s obviously extremely upset about the situation. It’s something which leaves a very, very bad taste indeed.

“I would like the police to do a lot more, but it appears when it’s social media, they rule and run the world and can say and do what they want unfortunately, which is why the world is in such a big mess, isn’t it?

“He’s handled it pretty well, I think the club gave him as much support as he needed, particularly security-wise.

“It wasn’t just about him, it was about his family. The best way to respond is to go out on the pitch on Sunday, perform to his highest level, try and score.

“And it would be even greater if he scored the winner. Hopefully it won’t affect his performance.”

Leeds are desperate for all three points at West Ham in their bid to climb out of the relegation zone and cling on to their top-flight status.

They sit third from bottom, one point from safety, with Sunday’s trip to the London Stadium followed by a home game against Tottenham on the final day.

West Ham reached the Europa Conference League final with victory over AZ Alkmaar on Thursday and Allardyce hopes his former club’s success could play to Leeds’ advantage.

He said: “They’ve got a final to think about, haven’t they? Subconsciously, you’ll never know whether that may affect the players in terms of when they go out and play.

“They’ll go out and play and try their best, (but) subconsciously, they won’t want to get injured.

“So they might be a little more tentative, who knows? But my job is about my team playing to the best they possibly can play.”

Leeds will be without suspended defender Junior Firpo on Sunday, but skipper Liam Cooper has returned to training and could be included in the squad.

Tyler Adams (hamstring), Luis Sinisterra (ankle) and Stuart Dallas (fractured femur) remain long-term absentees.

Leeds boss Sam Allardyce says he wants the “police to do a lot more” to help protect footballers from abuse on social media.

The Yorkshire club this week condemned the threats directed at Patrick Bamford and his family after the striker’s penalty miss in last week’s Premier League draw with Newcastle.

Allardyce urged Bamford to respond by scoring the winner in Sunday’s game at West Ham and said: “He’s been OK, he’s obviously extremely upset about the situation. It’s something that’s left a very, very bad taste indeed.

“I’d like the police to do a lot more, but it appears with social media they rule the world and can say and do what they want unfortunately, which is why the world’s in such a big mess, isn’t it?

“But he’s handled it pretty well. I think the club gave him as much support as he needed, particularly security-wise. It wasn’t just about him, it was about his family.

“The best way for him to respond is to go out on Sunday, play to his highest level and try and score. It would be great if he scored the winner. Hopefully it won’t affect his performance.”