Last week caretaker Michael Skubala was told he would be in charge for a third and fourth match but a defeat at relegation rivals Everton has increased the urgency for clarity. Game No 4 is at home to Southampton, who moved to within a point of Leeds by beating Wolverhampton Wanderers at the weekend.

The Saints are also managerless.

The odds on Rafael Benitez, who made a number of media appearances around Saturday's Liverpool versus Newcastle United game were heavily cut and now fellow Spaniard Garcia has been backed in to favourite for the vacant job.

BACKED: Javi Gracia, pictured right with former Hull City coach Marco Silva

The 52-year-old has managed in Spain, Greece, Russia and most recently Qatar but his most relevant experience is 66 matches with Watford, who he guided away from relegation in 2018 and led to the following year's FA Cup final.

Gracia is now 17/20 with bookmakers Betfair, with Skubala 7/2, whose first two games were a draw and a defeat with Manchester United.

Former Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur manager Nuno Espirito Santo is 4/1 and Benitez 11/2, ahead of his former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard at 6/1.

Leeds sacked Jesse Marsch in February after two wins in 17 Premier League matches fully expecting to be able to replace him quickly but have been unable to lure the likes of Rayo Vallecano's Andoni Iraola and Feyenoord's Arne Slot from their current jobs.

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