OPINION
It is hard to think of a more damaging defeat than that inflicted upon Leeds United by Cardiff City on Saturday in the Championship.
Leeds, home at Elland Road, were thrashed 4-1 by a rampant Cardiff, a result which has left them seven points adrift of the play-offs, while losing two of their key players to injury and suspension.
Gaetano Berardi was the man sent off, with the Swiss wing-back seeing red for a second yellow card offence right at the end of the first-half.
And it was defensive talisman Pontus Jansson who was injured, with the big Swede having to be stretchered off after a clash with Sol Bamba left him with a crocked ankle.
Speaking to the club’s official website on Sunday, boss Thomas Christiansen admitted that the outlook was not good for Jansson in the near future.
The Swedish enforcer is set to miss Leeds’ next few games, and unfortunately for everyone involved with the club, that will most likely spell the end of their play-off hopes.
The Whites are now seven points adrift of Bristol City in sixth, with three teams ahead of them and three teams lurking behind them also within striking distance of the play-offs.
Jansson’s injury means that Leeds are now left with two fit and available centre-backs for the next two games, as Liam Cooper runs down his four-game suspension.
And, if you look at the Whites’ opponents in their upcoming fixtures, things do not bode well for Conor Shaughnessy and Matthew Pennington.
Next weekend they travel to eighth-placed Sheffield United, who beat them 2-1 at home in October.
After that they face Bristol City, who are flying high after their run to the League Cup semi-finals.
Then they travel to Derby County, who are currently sitting in second in the table and also beat them 2-1 at home in October.
By the time that Jansson returns from injury, which may be even further down the line than three matches, Leeds could be well out of contention.
In such a tight league like the Championship, matches like these will be so key, and it does not look likely that Leeds will get many points out of them.
Seven points is already a massive differential, as teams above Leeds, of which there are several, will inevitably keep on winning between now and the end of the season.
If that gap goes out to 10, 11, or 12 points in the two weeks or so, there will be no way back for the Whites, who will once again be resigned to another Championship season.