Sky Sports pundit David Prutton has claimed that Leeds United should not have to fear anyone as they ready themselves for the Championship play-offs.
Leeds need to avoid defeat against relegated Ipswich on Sunday in order to seal a third-placed finish and tee up a potential clash against either Derby, Bristol City or Middlesbrough.
Frank Lampard’s side currently occupies sixth spot in the Championship but they face fourth-placed West Brom on Sunday, and Albion could snatch third place off Leeds if results go their way over the weekend.
Prutton has suggested that Derby or Middlesbrough are the likeliest teams that Leeds will play in the play-off semi-finals because he has not mentioned anyone else.
But either way, the former Leeds midfielder has claimed that both of those teams are ones that Marcelo Bielsa’s side should progress against over two legs.
“I have seen Boro play defensively well this season and I have seen them play defensively not very well and not score and look pretty average,” Prutton told the Yorkshire Evening Post.
“Leeds pulverised Derby off the back of perhaps mitigating circumstances from Derby’s point of view but whatever side Leeds come up against they shouldn’t fear. They can’t.
“You can look at Derby’s history in that they have got to the play-offs a few times but they have never managed to get through it in recent memory of the Championship.
“Leeds have got to be the team that other teams are wary and that’s what they have to show, whichever game they go into and whoever it is they come up against.”
OPINION
It does seem as though Leeds’ most likely opponents will be Derby, and while the Whites should not exactly be fearing anyone in the play-offs, they should not be underestimating anyone either. The Rams will be out for revenge after the spygate saga and their 4-1 defeat to the Yorkshire side earlier in the season. If they finish sixth, they could also go into the game against Leeds having beaten West Brom, which will be a massive boost for Lampard’s men. Middlesbrough are a team that cannot be underestimated either. Although Tony Pulis’ side have completely bottled it in recent weeks, they remain a team that are hard to score against and can beat anyone if everything clicks for them on their day. Leeds could still finish fourth after all, and that would mean a game against Aston Villa. Everyone wants to see that game again after the pulsating meeting between the two sides last week.