David Prutton says Leeds United must stay in touch with the play-offs over the Christmas period to give themselves any chance of promotion.
The Whites currently sit in eighth place in the Championship, five points below Derby who occupy the final play-off spot.
Thomas Christiansen’s side meet QPR on Saturday as they look to continue a solid run which has seen them beat Middlesbrough and Barnsley, draw with Aston Villa and lose to league leaders Wolves.
Former Whites midfielder Prutton believes that the key for Leeds over the next month is to minimise losses, rather than accumulate wins.
In his column for the Yorkshire Evening Post, Prutton said: “There are so many games in this period. As the saying goes, it’s a chance to bag four or fives wins and shoot up the Championship. But everyone else has the same intention and the stack of points on offer sometimes disguises the pressure of a really busy schedule.
“You want the best results possible, obviously you do, but it’s just as important to minimise the bad days. Because, Christmas being Christmas in the Championship, there are bound to be some. The position Leeds find themselves in – five points back from sixth place – is a relatively fair representation of their season, I feel.
“At this stage, Leeds don’t need to be storming into the top six, but they need to stay close and, if I’m being honest, I don’t think the depth of their squad would allow for a desperate charge at the last minute. We’re still at the point where there’s hope rather than outright expectation of the club making the play-offs. By the turn of the year, we’ll know if they’re up to it.”
OPINION
The Christmas period is a tough one for all footballers in England, not just the Championship. While players in continental Europe relax at home on a well-deserved break, those on these shores are embroiled in a period that could make or break their season. Prutton’s pragmatic approach to the demanding schedule may seem counter-productive, but he is right in many ways. The key for Leeds will be to stay in touch by the turn of the year. Obviously you would prefer wins, but if Leeds go on a run like the one they endured earlier this season, losing seven in nine, then that would spell the end of their promotion hopes.