Can survival specialist Sam Allardyce keep Leeds United up?

Premier League managerial veteran and survival specialist Sam Allardyce returned to the dugout this weekend with the task of keeping Leeds United in the top division.

Leeds sacked previous manager Javi Gracia with just 11 games in charge after Jesse Marsch was kicked out of the hot seat in February this year.

'Big Sam's' first game back in charge ended in defeat away from home to Manchester City, losing 2-1 due to a brace from Ilkay Gundogan in the first half.

68-year-old Allardyce now has three games remaining to save Leeds from the drop, facing his former clubs Newcastle United and West Ham and finally playing Tottenham on the last day of the season.

Leeds currently occupy 19^th in the table, two points from safety, and have a goal difference of -25 after conceding loads of goals in the last month.

Allardyce will need a miracle to turn this Leeds team around in the next three games, having picked one point up in the last six matches and conceded 12 goals in their previous three home fixtures.

If anyone can do it, Sam Allardyce can do it. Let's look at the times he's kept teams up in his 17-year managerial career in the Premier League.

In Bolton's and Sam Allardyce's second season in the Premier League, things looked to be going downhill, winning two of the first 21 games.

Allardyce had rallied his troops in the final two months of the season, leading his team to win five of the last ten games of the campaign, keeping themselves up by two points after beating Middlesborough on the final day.

Allardyce was appointed as Blackburn's manager on the 16th of December 2008, with the club in 19^th position and winning only three of the first 17 games under Paul Ince.

Allardyce would be the catalyst for change at Blackburn, going unbeaten in his first six games and leading them to 15^th place on 41 points.

After not picking up a single victory in the opening nine games of the 2015/2016 season, Sunderland appointed Allardyce after sacking Dick Advocaat in October.

Sunderland looked to be in jeopardy up until the start of April, when Allardyce used his magic again, going unbeaten in the last six games and securing victories in three of them. The key game was the final home match against Everton, winning 3-0 and relegating Newcastle.

Alan Pardew was sacked by Crystal Palace in December 2016, with the club in 17^th place, winning only four of the opening 17 games before Allardyce took over.

The veteran manager led Palace on a mid-season run, securing six victories in eight games between February and April, helping them finish 14^th in the league.

Sam Allardyce has a record of 178 wins in 537 matches (33%-win ratio), 145 draws, and 214 losses. His teams have scored 631 goals and conceded 748 over his entire career in the Premier League.

Over the years, 'Big Sam' has proved he is capable of saving teams at the death of a campaign, but can he do it again with this poor Leeds United team?