LEEDS owner Massimo Cellino has confirmed Steve Evans will not be sacked as manager and pointed to injuries as the main reason for what he describes as an "emergency moment" at the Sky Bet Championship club.

The Whites found themselves 4-0 down after 38 minutes at Brighton on Monday night – that was how the game ended – and Evans was instructed by high-ranking club officials not to talk to the media after the embarrassing defeat.

That led to speculation that Evans was set to become the seventh manager to lose his job during Cellino's two years in charge at Elland Road, but the Italian has now spoken out about the situation.

Cellino said: "The last few weeks he's been talking too much about his future, his contract, the players. He has to focus (on) the game, he just has to understand at times.

"We are missing four or five players in the squad, we are in emergency and instead of complaining we should just focus and try and play all together, not just complain to the media."

Pressed on Evans' future, Cellino responded: "No, it's not a problem. We have a little problem because we are in an emergency moment. We have five players out.

"I didn't speak with him after the game because I think we are both very disappointed and embarrassed. It's not just a matter for the coach. It's not a big deal."

Defender Gaetano Berardi and winger Mustapha Carayol both returned to the Leeds bench after lengthy absences on Monday night, but striker Chris Wood and winger Stuart Dallas are injured and defender Giuseppe Bellusci is currently suspended.

Cellino is reported to have left Brighton's AMEX Stadium at half-time and, when asked about his early exit, he said: "I was ashamed.

"I was embarrassed because we weren't playing very good in the game. At times I was embarrassed for the team."

The 59-year-old Italian – currently awaiting an appeal date after a second Football League disqualification for tax evasion – has found himself at the centre of protests from a large number of fans over recent months.

Angered by a perceived lack of investment in the team, coupled with a list of off-the-field dramas, the 'Time To Go Massimo' group projected a number of anti-Cellino messages on to the side of Elland Road's East Stand during last month's draw with Middlesbrough, with further protests planned for Saturday's meeting with Bolton.

When asked about supporters and the current situation at the club, Cellino said: "I'm very sad for the supporters because they really are better than the team, that's the only thing I can say.

"For the moment I have to say I took this club after 12 years of problems and I tried to fix everything – but you cannot repair something that has been decaying also during 12 years, that has been a little bit damaged.

"You cannot fix the work in one year after 12 years of second division, third division and the chronic problems Leeds United had in the past. I want to avoid the same mistakes as the people there was before me at the club."

Cellino insists he is the right man to take Leeds forward and made a plea for patience.

Speaking about his future, and whether he would be stepping down at Elland Road, he said: "I don't know, I should ask my chairman if he wants to sack me.

"Maybe, unfortunately the supporters have the right to complain. I have to accept everything, I have to respect everything – but it's not so easy just to walk away when you are doing something you think is the right thing for this club and I'm going to show that. But the fans, they have to wait."