The Whites are 16th in the table, a point above the relegation zone, and will drop another place regardless of the outcome of Monday's game between rivals Leicester City and Everton. With morale seemingly at rock bottom, relegation is a real possibility.

The defeat was damaging but the response to it from the away end far more so. For most of the closing stages it was the board and particularly director of football Victor Orta who took the blame but towards the end they turned on players they said were "not fit to wear the shirt".

Leeds have taken one point from a possible 15.

But after the game, Gracia was as lacking in defiance in the press room as his players had been on the field.

The Spanish coach was unwilling to offer up excuses, reasoning that nothing he could say would pacify an angry fanbase. Whether he could explain what he saw anyway we will never know.

The chants from travelling fans who were right to feel badly let down were certainly at odds with Gracia’s claim that "Leeds supporters are always with the team, that's what I felt on my arrival. Of course they prefer not to be in this situation, like all of us."

As to what else he could say, he admitted: "It's hard in this situation. At this moment they prefer to see the team playing better and winning than listening to me.

"I have to help my players to play better, to find a way to defend better, to attack better, it's my job to try to help them to do it in another way, a better way.

"I have to try to assist in the things I think we need to improve.

"If we concede the mistakes we are conceding in all the games it's difficult to compete well and to get the results we need.

"We have to be more consistent defending and attacking, be more aggressive. If we don't do that, it will be difficult."

Asked if he thought the club would still back him, he simply shrugged and replied: "If I'm here, I suppose so."

When Gracia was appointed in February, it was on a “flexible contract”, the precise details of which have never been revealed.

Leeds conceded two first-half goals to Jefferson Lerma which were very well taken but helped by poor defending from the visitors with nowhere near enough pressure on the goalscorer. Illan Meslier also flapped at the corner which led to his second.

Patrick Bamford responded with a goal made by the recalled Willy Gnonto, but Dominic Solanke and Antoine Semenyo added to the damage with second-half goals which only made the Leeds fans more and more angry – and justifiably so – at what they were watching.

Even by half-time, Leeds had broken their own record for the most Premier League goals conceded in a month.

There was a hint of defiance from Gracia, though.

"I think we are a young team and sometimes youngp layers need these processes to make mistakes and learn from them," he argued.

"I believe in my players from the beginning to the end.

"I don't like to speak much about our situation in the table but we're not in the relegaton zone. We have tough games to come.

"You need character and other values but I think my players have them.

"We have to try to believe we can do it and work hard these days for the next game.

"When I arrived the situation was even worse.

"Now the last results are tough for all of us but we have to change this dynamic."

That was the thinking behind switching to a back three for the first time as Leeds coach.

"We tried to change the dynamic," he explained. "We were coming from some performances where we didn't compete at the same level I thought we could and we changed the shape.

"In this case we were playing against Bournemouth with a shape where they attack with three or four and they defend in 4-4-2.

"We tried to find the best solution with players who were fit.

"I think it was a good chance to see other players. That was my idea."

The win all but guaranteed Bournemouth's Premier League safety with even their manager, Gary O'Neil admitting the job is done, and his players did a lap of honour at full-time.

"To get 39 points after 34 games is a big effort," he said. "We wanted to show our appreciation for the support we've had from the fans because not many people outside of Bournemouth would have given us a prayer this year.

"Thirty-nine will be enough (to stay up), thad doesn't mean we stop."

The former midfielder took his first senior job in management earlier in the season when predecessor Scott Parker was sacked after complaining his squad was not strong enough to stay in the top-flight after winning promotion from the Championship last season.

O'Neil must now have a very strong case to be the division's manager of the season.

Leeds are on 30. points with four matches to play. Their next two are against Manchester City and Newcastle United.

Like Leeds United, coach Javi Gracia unable to offer up a defence for 4-1 defeat at Bournemouth