New Leeds manager Allardyce: I'm up there with Guardiola, Klopp and Arteta

Struggling Premier League club have four games to save themselves from relegation after sacking Javi Gracia

Sam Allardyce is back in English top-flight football for the first time since managing West Bromwich Albion in 2021. Reuters

Sam Allardyce said he hopes he can "make a difference" and keep Leeds United in the Premier League, but he accepts he is taking over a club “in a lot of trouble”.

Leeds on Wednesday appointed Allardyce as manager until the end of the season having parted ways with Javi Gracia and his backroom staff that morning.

Allardyce, 68, becomes Leeds’ third permanent manager of the season, with Gracia having replaced Jesse Marsch in February.

The former Bolton, Newcastle, West Ham and England boss has been out of work since the end of the 2020/21 season after failing to save West Bromwich Albion from relegation from the Premier League.

It was the first time Allardyce had been relegated from the top flight in his 30-year managerial career and he left The Hawthorns six months into an 18-month contract.

He takes over a demoralised team short on confidence and shipping goals at an alarming rate, with 18 conceded in Leeds' past five matches including Sunday's 4-1 reverse at Bournemouth.

Leeds languish 17th in the Premier League table, out of the relegation zone only on goal difference with only four games remaining.

“I know it [Leeds] is in a lot of trouble,” Allardyce told UK radio station talkSPORT.

“I have seen a lot of trouble before and – I could have done a little bit more time, but four games – hopefully we can make a difference and keep this fabulous club in the Premier League.”

Allardyce said he was "shocked" to get the opportunity to manage again so late in the campaign.

"I never thought at this stage of the season there would be jobs offered," he added.

“When the phone popped up with a name that I knew pretty well, I knew who it was straight away, so it took me about two seconds to say 'yes'.”

Allardyce is reported to have agreed a basic salary of £500,000 for his four games in charge, with a £2.5 million bonus if he can keep Leeds up.

Former MK Dons, Charlton and Oxford boss Karl Robinson will be Allardyce’s assistant. Former Leeds striker Robbie Keane is also expected to join the backroom staff.

“Far too many people think I’m old and antiquated, which is so far from the truth,” he added. “I might be 68 and look old but there’s nobody ahead of me, in football terms – not Pep [Guardiola], not [Jurgen] Klopp, not [Mikel] Arteta.

“They do what they do and I do what I do, but in terms of depth of knowledge, I’m up there with them.”

Leeds travel to leaders Manchester City on Saturday, before hosting third-placed Newcastle United.

The final two games of the season are a trip to West Ham, one of Allardyce’s former clubs, and the visit of European hopefuls Tottenham.

“Obviously they are very difficult games, Man City, Newcastle, West Ham and Spurs,” Allardyce said.

“You can all point out where the easiest fixture might be and of course, there are no easy fixtures in the Premier League, but we can only go and do what we can try and achieve.”

On Sunday, fans’ group the Leeds United Supporters Advisory Board issued a vote of no confidence in both the club’s board and Gracia.

The players subsequently issued a statement on Monday apologising for their performance at Bournemouth and for failing to acknowledge fans at the team hotel.

Gracia leaves Leeds after only 12 games in charge. The Spaniard collected 10 points from his first six fixtures, but a dreadful run of results in April left the club in a downward spiral.