Leeds can take heart from the performance we produced against Arsenal on Monday, and will now be looking to build on that when we face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park tomorrow.

At the Emirates Leeds sat back for most of the game and tried to catch Arsenal on the break, but we can be thankful that Simon Grayson has promised a more attacking approach than the tactics he used against Premier League opposition. He told the official site “At Arsenal we dropped off and let them have it, but it isn’t our sort of game. We have to learn from that in terms of how we can press the ball in the right areas, but the desire and the spirit is there”.

Robert Snodgrass could make a shock early return to action just a fortnight after undergoing an operation on his appendix but Jonny Howson, and Leigh Bromby are still some way short of full firness and Robbie Rogers is waiting for his work permit to come through.

Grayson took the opportunity to watch Palace in action in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final against Cardiff, and he was impressed with the progress they’ve made this season under our former loan striker Dougie Freedman. “They did well against Cardiff but we knew they were a good team anyway. Freedman and Lennie Lawrence have them well organised and they are a difficult side to play against. But we have the players to get a good result anywhere and we’ll go to Selhurst looking to do that”.

Freedman has just completed his first 12 months in the Selhurst Park hot seat, and steered them away from relegation at the end of last season before achieving mid-table security this time round. And there was of course the small matter of that famous League Cup win at Old Trafford! And this week he defended Simon Grayson’s record at Elland Road. “Leeds are such a big club and expectations are high but I’m sure that if they give him time they’ll be right in the mix for the play-offs at the end of the season.”

Several Palace players missed the Cardiff game after a virus went through the squad, but they are hoping that some of them will be action tomorrow, including highly rated full-back Nathaniel Clyne. His fellow defender Paddy McCarthy will also have a late fitness test, as will midfielder Mile Jedinak.

We can but hope that Leeds have got through our recent dodgy spell, but I think the most likely outcome tomorrow is a draw.

Photo: Action Images

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