Brighton v Leeds United: Run-in can lay base for next season

Comparing then to now is, of course, ludicrous with the Leeds team that cut such a swathe through the Premier League during the Spring of 2001 possessing the kind of potential that English football witnesses only once in a generation.

But, even allowing for the modest style of a run that the current United crop hope to extend to four away wins on the spin tonight at Brighton & Hove Albion, there is a feel-good factor surrounding the Elland Road club that has not been present since the first few months that followed promotion to the Championship in 2010.

Much of the credit for this transformation must go to Neil Redfearn, who has overseen a remarkable turnaround in form since the start of the year.

That he has done so against the backdrop of the usual chaos that seems to befall Leeds, including the club’s owner Massimo Cellino serving a Football League ban, is quite remarkable.

Redfearn’s influence has been such that the more optimistic among the United support are even talking of a possible play-off push. With 15 points separating Leeds from Watford in sixth, such talk is fanciful, but the club’s head coach cannot help but wonder what might have been if he had been in charge all season.

“It would have been interesting to see if I’d had those 10 games,” said Redfearn, whose 22 games either in temporary or permanent charge have yielded 35 points.

“But that is in hindsight, and is easy to say. I think the most important thing is that we have turned the season around and look far more upwardly-mobile as a team and a football club. It has got a feel-good factor to it and it is a much better place to come to.”

Leeds head to the south coast tonight sitting 11th, their joint highest standing of what has seemed a long campaign.

For much of 2014-15, relegation looked a distinct possibility with United ending last year just one point clear of the drop zone.

Since then, that gap has been extended to the 10 points that now separate Redfearn’s men from Millwall in 22nd place.

“Mathematically, we are not safe and there are sides below who are capable of putting runs together,” said the head coach.

“But I have to say that, at this point of the season, sides are going to start playing and beating one another and they can’t all win.

“We want to keep our run going and see how far we can get. The more successful we are between now and the end of the season with this young side, the better the experience will be for next season, when hopefully we can use it to hit the ground running.”

Giuseppe Bellusci is suspended tonight after incurring a 10th yellow card of the season at Boro.

Liam Cooper will replace the Italian and also once again don the armband, which was worn by Sol Bamba at the Riverside.

The duo will join Scott Wootton, who yesterday signed a contract extension to keep him at Elland Road until 2017, and Charlie Taylor in a back four that will tonight look to keep a fourth straight clean sheet.

A big factor in United managing another shut-out against Boro was Marco Silvestri, who was superb in the visitors’ goal.

“Marco is an outstanding shot-stopper,” said Redfearn, “and his all-round game is improving bit by bit. By that, I mean his game-management and presence in his own six-yard box at set-plays. I just think he is a top young goalkeeper and I think he is going to get better and better. We look at him and still forget his age; he is still only young.

“The defence as a unit has done well. Big Sol coming in has made a big difference. He has given us that physical presence that perhaps we needed.

“Whoever has partnered him has seemed to play better because of it, whether it be Bellusci or Cooper.

“Scotty Wootton and Taylor coming in at full-back has also made a big difference because they have given us physical presence as well.”

Redfearn’s switch to a 4-2-3-1 formation has helped make United much more solid and he is delighted with the current run that has seen just four goals conceded in the last eight league fixtures.

He added: “I have worked with the back four and midfield two for the past month and a bit. It has basically been about shape out of possession and getting up the pitch and about being balanced, when to press and when to come out of shape.

“We also work on being out of shape and how we attack and recover and get back into shape to be difficult to play against. The lads have really bought into it and I think they understand it.”

Last six games: Brighton & Hove Albion LLLDDW, Leeds United WWLWWW.

Referee: F Graham (Essex).

Last time: Brighton & Hove Albion 1 Leeds United 0; February 11, 2014; Championship.