Neil Warnock has asked his squad for a big improvement when we face Millwall in a difficult game in South-East London, but a clutch of injuries and suspensions have ensured that our squad is even more threadbare than usual.

We’re all eager to put the humiliation of last week’s humiliating 6-1 defeat behind us, but the fallout from that game will still be affecting us tomorrow. We have of course lost Randy Austin to injury and Pearce to suspension after the FA rejected his appeal against his sending off, and we will also be without Brown, after he picked up his fifth booking of the season in that infamous game.

Not surprisingly, Neil Warnock was bemoaning the absence of these three players when he spoke to the official site. "We have lost our physical players for this weekend. The whole core, spine of the side has been completely taken out of the team. Whoever comes in has got to play well and above themselves on the physical side as well. We need every player to stand up and be counted.”

But you wouldn’t expect a Warnock side to go all soft when we’re playing Millwall away from home, so he issued this rallying call to his few remaining players. "We need every player to stand up and be counted. Whoever comes in has got to play well and above themselves on the physical side as well. It will be interesting to see how the lads perform and we will give it a go. Last year I don't think many people thought we had much chance of beating Millwall."

At least there is one bit of good news, as Ross McCormack could make the substitute bench after two months out with an ankle injury, while Tom Lees should be available as he continues his recovery from an eye problem, although ideally he would have been given longer before being sent back into action. Young Tom will be celebrating on his 22nd birthday tomorrow.

But just when we didn’t need it, tomorrow is the first of a run of games against teams in good form, as Millwall are unbeaten in the last nine games and have won three of the last four. We badly need the takeover to go through to give everyone a list, but all that happened today was that the exclusivity period was extended again, so the talks can continue to drift along with no end in sight. We can but hope that they can sort it out before January, but no one in West Yorkshire is holding their breath.

A Warnock told the Independent “As I found at QPR, a club in the process of a takeover is paralysed. The current owner understandably doesn't want to spend money when he is selling, but the buyers obviously don't want to invest until they know they will be the new owners. Which leaves me trying to make do with a threadbare squad that is racked by injuries and suspensions.”

And as far as tomorrow is concerned, he said "Millwall are very well organised and have got some big lads and we've got to cope with that." At least the Lions have a few injury problems of their own, as they will be without top scorer Darius Henderson and winger James Henry because of hamstring injuries. Striker John Marquis is doubtful with a groin problem, but Shaun Batt is back after a calf injury.

I’d love to say that Leeds can get at least a point from this game, but I might have to let my head rule my heart and admit that it’s more likely we’ll go down to a narrow defeat.

Photo: Action Images

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