Leeds United’s automatic-promotion hopes took a major hit over the weekend, and they may now need to win the play-offs to get out of the Championship.
While Leeds beating Aston Villa on Sunday would ensure that at least one automatic-promotion spot is still undecided heading into the final day of the Championship season, Marcelo Bielsa will be well aware that Sheffield United winning the day before will all but confirm that the Whites will be in the play-offs.
The Blades boast a much better goal difference, so a victory against already-relegated Ipswich Town on Saturday would essentially confirm their promotion. The Leeds players’ emotional reaction to Monday’s defeat to Brentford said a lot about how likely they feel a Tractor Boys upset is.
Leeds can still turn their terrible Easter weekend into something of a positive. It will be easier to get back on track for the play-offs now than it will be if the Blades open the door in their final two games and the Whites fall short on the last day of the season.
But despite setting the pace for much of the campaign, Leeds will probably be the underdogs in the play-offs. Several of Bielsa’s side have gone off the boil, while Villa have won their last 10 and the ongoing race for sixth place guarantees that one of probably Derby, Middlesbrough or Bristol City will be on a real high when the semi-finals begin.
So perhaps the pressure of having their fate essentially confirmed by the time they face Villa this weekend may actually prove beneficial to a Leeds side that have the potential to blow any team away this season.
Of course, automatic-promotion must remain the target while it is still a fairly realistic, albeit slim, possibility. But if their play-off place is all but confirmed, perhaps it could make a huge difference to Jack Clarke.
Clarke has really struggled since returning from illness and looks quite short of confidence. It was not too long ago that he came on when Leeds were 2-0 down at Villa Park and inspired an incredible turnaround with a stunning run and goal.
But since collapsing at Middlesbrough, he has not looked like that same player. And his introduction at Griffin Park this week felt more like a last throw of the dice rather than a change that Bielsa expected to worry Brentford into making mistakes.
This is absolutely not a criticism of Clarke. After the frightening scenes at the Riverside Stadium, it is fantastic that he appears to be back to full health, and it is a wonder that he returned to playing as quickly as he did.
But it does appear that the pressure of being Leeds’ shining light in a nerve-wracking promotion race has asked too much of the teenager after what he has been through.
So perhaps having their chances of automatic-promotion all but dashed heading into the final two fixtures could really help Clarke. With his quality, he probably needs just one outstanding piece of brilliance to feel like he is back on track.
And those moments of magic may be much more likely to come now that Leeds are likely facing two games where the pressure is not as intense as it has been for the past few months.
And given his potential, Clarke rediscovering some of his best form could be a game-changer if Leeds do need to triumph at Wembley to go up.
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