Gray: It's win or bust

Eddie Gray believes Leeds need to win their last three games to have any chance of staying in the top flight.

Time is fast running out for the debt-ridden club after a 2-1 defeat by Portsmouth at Elland Road today.

Two of Leeds' last three matches are away from home and they face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on the final day.

Caretaker manager Gray said: "For us to stay up I think we have to win the three matches - and that has not happened in sequence this season.

"It is going to be extremely difficult. I felt this was a fixture we had to win.

"You have to be realistic in football and we know how difficult it will be now.

Sloppy goals

"We gave away a couple of sloppy goals and lacked the quality to break Portsmouth down.

"But where there are points to play for we have to continue to work hard in the hope of getting results.

"We have not performed well enough, it's quite simple but the boys worked hard to the end of the game."

A late goal from Ian Harte from the penalty spot threw Leeds a lifeline but they could not get that elusive equaliser.

Gray said: "If you win the league, it is because you deserved to win it.

"If you play 38 games [and you are in the bottom three] you deserve to be relegated. You can look for excuses."

Portsmouth secured a two-goal cushion through Aiyegbeni Yakubu and Lomana LuaLua.

They are now on 40 points and almost certainly safe after picking up 16 points out of a possible 18.

Portsmouth nearly safe

Manager Harry Redknapp said: "We are nearly there, I think we need another result.

"I always believed that we would be okay once we got our best players back.

"It was a hectic last 10 minutes but up until then we showed good control after I changed the system."

Leeds were denied an equaliser when goalkeeper Shaka Hislop spectacularly turned away a shot from Nick Barmby at his near post.

"It was a great save by Shaka and an important one, although the lads thought he [Barmby] was offside," said Redknapp.

"If you like football and are a Pompey fan it has been the best two years of your life. We won the championship last year and now as it looks as though we are staying in the Premier League you have to enjoy it."

Meanwhile midfielder Nigel Quashie will link up with the Scotland squad ahead of the friendly with Denmark on Wednesday despite suffering a calf strain at Elland Road.