Leeds United v Aston Villa: We have recovered our spirit, says Pablo Hernandez

For Leeds, fresh from an authoritative away-day derby performance at Barnsley that augured well for the winter months ahead, it provides the perfect chance to consign their alarming autumnal downturn to the dustbin of history against a fellow divisional heavyweight.

In-form Villa, meanwhile, are not short of inspiration either as they strive to move up to third spot in the Championship, albeit possibly only temporarily, with current occupants Sheffield United in action at Millwall tomorrow.

This time last year in the corresponding fixture at Elland Road, it was the Whites who made the definitive statement by way of a 2-0 televised victory over the Midlands club as their Championship bandwagon started to generate significant momentum.

A case of deja vu would certainly suffice for a Leeds team who are in an almost identical position to that which they were in 12 months ago. In his pre-match press conference, head coach Thomas Christiansen spoke of the Whites turning a corner following a haul of six points out of nine against Barnsley and Middlesbrough to arrest the slide involving seven losses in their previous nine league outings.

For most United followers, that transformation will have only truly materialised should they find a way to win tonight against a Villa side beaten just once on their travels since mid-August.

Should confidence count for anything, Leeds are entitled to feel they are in a much better place than they were in the early salvos of last month, with their woes exacerbated by a grievous 3-1 loss at Brentford, which ensured that Christiansen’s side headed into the last international break in a battered and bruised psychological state.

Midfielder Pablo Hernandez feels that Leeds are also crucially starting to rediscover their mojo, ably led by the beguiling attacking talents of the key triumvirate of Samuel Saiz, Gianni Alioski and, of course, himself.

Hernandez said: “We have recovered the spirit and we are in a good way. This is a big test.

“It is a big game at home. Aston Villa maybe did not start very well, but in the last games they have played good and won many games. It is difficult, but we play at home and we played good in the last game.

“It is difficult when you do not win games. We started in a good position and the last two months, the team went down. But the last games (Barnsley and Middlesbrough) have helped with the confidence and we need to keep this. This is a difficult game, but we have confidence that we can win.

“It is an important period. You have many games in a short period of time. You have the chance to win three or four in a row and in a short time you can go up in the table. This helps your confidence.”

United’s rousing performance last time out on home soil against Middlesbrough, managed by Garry Monk, provides the template to follow for the hosts this evening, with Christiansen of the belief that his side must replicate that level of intensity, at the very least, if they are going to produce a similar result and performance.

Still just five and a half months into his tenure at Leeds, Christiansen has probably learned as much – if not more – about his side in their recent torrid spell as during their golden start to the campaign, with it perhaps being a case of what does not kill you makes you stronger.

“What I believe is that we are in a better way. We have many things to improve, but the response of the players has been very positive and this is the way”, Christiansen said.

“I learned a lot from the good moments and now from the bad moments. I hope we are past that. I believe the team is in a good way now.

“Aston Villa is a six-point game. It is a very tough and strong opponent and we need to be at least at the level we were at against Middlesbrough if we want to take three points. They are one of the strongest.”

The arrival of Villa kicks off a hectic run that sees Leeds face seven league games in a month – a time when the landscape can change, but with the players and management very much focusing on the here and now.

For Hernandez, that involves putting talks on his longer-term future temporarily on the backburner, with his contract up next summer, although, in an ideal world, the Spaniard says that he would like to stick around.

He added: “I am happy here and the club know this. The club are happy with me. More important is focusing on the next games because in December we play a lot and we need to focus on them.

“I am sure in the future we talk and for me, it is not a problem to stay here because I am happy here.”

Last six games: Leeds LLLWLW Aston Villa DWLWWW.

Referee: P Bankes (Merseyside).

Last time: Leeds 2 Aston Villa 0; December 3, 2016; Championship.