Leeds United and Aston Villa do battle in the Championship on Sunday.
Noel Whelan has admitted to BBC Radio Leeds that he fears for Leeds United against the Championship steamroller that is Aston Villa at the moment.
With their automatic promotion hopes hanging by a thread, wounded Leeds host Aston Villa on Sunday in the knowledge that anything but a victory for them and defeat for second-placed Sheffield United at home to Ipswich Town will effectively confirm their playoff spot.
Marcelo Bielsa’s side go into the game on the back of two successive defeats. In contrast, the Villans bring a 10-match winning streak to West Yorkshire – their longest-ever series of consecutive victories.
On their day, the Whites are more than a match for Dean Smith’s side, and the club’s former striker Whelan is hoping that his old side can rediscover their form just in time to build momentum ahead of their probable playoff campaign.
He told BBC Radio Leeds: “You want to be going in [to the playoffs] with momentum; look at Aston Villa now, just steamrolling through the whole Championship at the minute.
“They are a juggernaut that can’t be stopped. I do worry about them.
“But we’ve got to find some kind of fight, we’ve got to find that confidence, that belief again and that style of play which was absolutely ripping teams to bits.”
Sheffield United play on the Saturday, a day before Leeds’ visit of the West Midlands side. It will be the third game in a row that Bielsa’s side have played after their automatic promotion rivals.
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