Leeds United 2 QPR 0: The secret of United's Premier ambition is unveiled

The refusal was explained away by United's stand-in captain not wanting to 'tempt fate' or appear presumptuous ahead of the leaders Queens Park Rangers visiting Elland Road.

Such a cautious attitude is prevalent throughout the playing and coaching staff at Elland Road, at least in public – as illustrated by Simon Grayson's comment "we could still get relegated" after being asked about the potential significance of Leeds going into Christmas occupying an automatic promotion place.

With each passing week, however, it is becoming more and more difficult to stick to the party line of playing down United's chances.

Yes, there is still more than half of the season still to go. And, yes, the Championship is such an unpredictable division this season that only a handful of teams can truly be discounted from the promotion race going into the festive season.

But such is the momentum that is building at Elland Road, it is clear to most on-lookers that Leeds United are going to take some stopping in the New Year.

Certainly, against the league leaders on Saturday United were full value for a win achieved courtesy of two goals from Max Gradel.

Not only did Grayson's side once again display the attacking swagger that has turned them into the division's top scorers by netting 20 goals during what is now a nine-game unbeaten run.

But what they also managed to display against QPR was a defensive steel that meant Kasper Schmeichel had a quieter afternoon than normal despite the visitors enjoying plenty of possession.

Credit for this has to go to not only a back four featuring Leigh Bromby for just the second time this season but also every single one of the players sporting white.

In midfield, hard-working duo Bradley Johnson and Neil Kilkenny again provided a platform for the likes of Robert Snodgrass, Jonny Howson and Gradel to pour forward in support of lone frontman Luciano Becchio.

Once again, Snodgrass was in sensational form down the right flank with his first-half terrorising of Clint Hill being such that the pacy Kyle Walker had to be switched to full-back after the restart.

The alteration was understandable, it having been one of the Scot's trademark weaving runs that had created the opening goal on 25 minutes.

Collecting possession out wide, Snodgrass twisted one way and then the other to leave Kaspars Gorkss hopelessly wrong-footed before chipping a cross that Howson met at the back post.

Rangers could, at this moment, have cleared but, as Paddy Kenny hesitated, Gradel reacted quickest to thunder the ball past the former Sheffield United goalkeeper with a perfectly executed half-volley.

United's lead was, on chances created, deserved with Snodgrass and Becchio both having gone close before Gradel's fifth goal of the season.

Three minutes later, however, Rangers really should have been level but Gorkss somehow shot wide from five yards after the home defence had failed to clear an Adel Taraabt corner.

The visitors' Moroccan playmaker was left frustrated by Neill Collins's block just after the break before Leeds resumed control as Kenny unconvincingly bundled Becchio's shot round a post.

Gradel then had manager Grayson cursing on the touchline when, instead of shooting first-time after being found unmarked by Snodgrass, he hesitated to allow the Rangers defence to clear.

Twenty minutes from time, however, Gradel made amends by drilling a shot past Kenny having jinked his way past Fitz Hall.

Suddenly, Rangers bore the look of a beaten side as, first, Kilkenny went close and then Kenny saved brilliantly from Howson before repeating the trick to keep out a 20-yard effort from Snodgrass.

The final whistle came as a relief to the visitors, while the joy of the home fans in the 29,426 crowd was added to moments later when news came through that Swansea City had lost to Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

It mea

nt, for the first time since the club's relegation from the Premier League in 2004, that Leeds occupied one of the automatic promotion places.

The news received arguably the biggest cheer of a freezing afternoon, though one man who was not impressed with how the home players marked the win was Neil Warnock.

The QPR manager said: "I thought the celebrations in the tunnel were a bit over the top, I don't think they have won promotion just yet.

"I am a bit too long in the tooth for that. We will see how they do at the end of the season."

Two-goal hero Gradel, however, was delighted by the three points, especially as it means the Ivory Coast wideman can return to Leicester City on Boxing Day looking down the league table on his former club.

He said: "This was a big win and we just need to build on that now in the upcoming games.

"We learned from last year that we just need to keep working hard. Hopefully, we won't get carried away.

"To get promoted would be a great achievement for everyone at this club, especially to the fans that belong up there in the Premier League.

"It would be nice to be part of the team that helps them there. It is a dream but hopefully the dream can come true."