The Leeds side will again have a makeshift look for tomorrow's game at Bristol Rovers.
Leeds will again be without three injured players, with Hughes and Robinson still recovering from hamstring problems, and Richardson out with his dodgy ankle. Of this trio Hughes is the most likely to be fit to play, but Glynn Snodin told the official site that nobody will be rushed back too early. "We have a bit of a run-in with a lot of games to play, and we don't want them to come back for two games and maybe lose them again. We need them for the end of the season."
So it’s quite possible that Douglas will have to fill in at right back yet again. Neil Kilkenny has had a niggling back injury all week, but he should be ready to play in central midfield. On the suspensions front it’s one in one out, as Bradley Johnson has now accumulated enough bookings for a one match ban, but Howson is available after serving his own ban at Oldham. In Johnson’s absence we might have to play Delph wide on the left, with Howson and Kilkenny in the centre and Snodgrass on the right.
Although we picked up a welcome point at Oldham on Monday, everyone at the club knows Leeds have to improve our results away from home. It’s a good job we’ve managed to win the last five at Elland Road, as the recent away form has threatened to undermine our challenge for the play-offs. Glyn Snodin admitted "You want Elland Road to be a fortress and it's getting that way but you need to pick up points away from home if you want to challenge."
But even through Rovers are in mid-table and 12 points short of the Play-Off places, but Snodin was still warning that we can’t afford to be complacent before tomorrow’s game. "They are well organised, and they are strong and physical. They will be honest, they have a good manager, and they have done well at home. But, hopefully we can do our job on Bristol Rovers. It's about what we do, get our act together, organise ourselves, and play well.”
And Bristol Rovers first-team coach Paul Trollope also thinks they’ve got a chance, as he told BBC Points West . "We're aware of their history, the size of the club and the quality of players they've got but we've focused on ourselves in recent weeks to make sure we get to a level that we know can win games - and that will be the case again. Leeds have got a mixed record away from home and it's a game we're very much looking forward to. We've beaten a few of the top teams in recent weeks and, if we can produce a performance to that level, then we've got a chance of beating Leeds, but we know we've got to be right on it."
Rovers are expected to be unchanged for the third successive game, as defender Steve Elliott and top scorer Rickie Lambert have both recovered from minor knocks. I can see this game being very even, and although my heart says that Leeds need a win, I think the most likely outcome is our second away draw of the week.