Thomas Christiansen shares his post-match message to Leeds squad after draw

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Leeds United picked up a point as they drew 1-1 with fellow Championship promotion hopefuls Aston Villa at Elland Road.

Thomas Christiansen has told BBC Radio Leeds that he told his Leeds squad after their drew with Aston Villa that he was pleased with their efforts as he felt that they may have lost the game once the away side equalised had it been played one month ago.

Leeds continued their recent resurgence as they ended the Villans’ run of three straight wins by drawing 1-1 at Elland Road, with Henri Lansbury cancelling out Pontus Jansson’s opener for the home side.

It was certainly a game of contrasting halves, with Leeds dominant in the first 45 minutes while Villa came back at them after the break and were certainly on top when Lansbury squeezed an equaliser past Felix Wiedwald. But Leeds would see the game out and bag a share of the points.

And after the game, Christiansen suggested that securing a point was a sign of their recent progress as they did not capitulate in the same sort of manner that saw Derby come from a goal down at the interval to win 2-1 at Elland Road back in October.

“This is also one of things I spoke to the players [about] after the game that I was happy with their efforts in the game, how they understood how we had to play and how one month ago we would have lost this game because we would have gone up with four, five, six players and forgotten about defending so that was cleverness from my players to understand that and also, to take the message,” he told BBC Radio Leeds.

Leeds may well feel that the break came at the wrong time, as the game did seem to change somewhat after half-time, with Villa getting on top and bagging an equaliser they arguably deserved.

But Leeds will take plenty of heart from the fact that they managed to keep the Villans out when they were under the cosh, in the same way that they would have surely taken plenty of positives from the way they managed to hold onto their lead when they faced Middlesbrough last month and had their advantage halved due to a very controversial penalty decision.

And the confidence that they gained from their resolute defending should give them a lot of hope that they can bring themselves right back into the mix for the top six by the time the festive fixtures are done with.