Warnock: I know how to fix Leeds’ broken hearts

Warnock admitted that he was likely to put his current side through a fifth match in 17 days with United nearing the final 10 games of the season and anxious to prevent a six-point gap to the Championship play-offs increasing this weekend.

The United boss became the first Leeds manager since Dennis Wise in 2007 to field the same line-up in four consecutive games at Leicester City on Tuesday night, and he is planning to resist the temptation to make changes when the club meet in-form Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

Leeds are under pressure to earn a result in south London after a last-gasp equaliser at Leicester denied them a first league win away from home since December.

United were on course to cut the gap to sixth place to four points until City defender Michael Keane headed home an injury-time chance and earned Leicester a 1-1 draw.

Warnock revealed that his team selection at the King Power Stadium was almost affected by “a few little worries and niggles before the game”, a legacy of a busy and important spell of Championship fixtures.

But asked if his current line-up would be able to start at Palace, Warnock said: “I hope so.

“We had a few little worries and niggles before the game (at Leicester) but they all came through it.

“We’ve just got a few broken hearts and a few tired legs.

“We’re a little bit short to change too much but I can’t fault any of the lads and we’ve got to go to Palace in good spirits and get another result.”

United are rapidly closing in on their last 10 Championship fixtures, a period in which they will play six times at home and fulfil a valuable game in hand against Peterborough United at Elland Road.

Tuesday’s draw kept Leeds on course to meet Warnock’s target of emerging from matches against Leicester, Millwall and Palace unbeaten but the improving form of Nottingham Forest and Bolton Wanderers has intensified the battle for a top-six finish, with Brighton presently clinging to sixth place.

United dominated spells of their game at Leicester and appeared to have claimed a rare away win when Keane rose to nod home a late corner.

Warnock will look for a similarly-positive display at Selhurst Park, against a Palace side who are in contention for automatic promotion, saying: “I thought we played in the right way again – passed it about when we could and controlled most of the second half.

“It’s always disappointing when you throw a goal away in the circumstances that we did and it does feel like a loss but there were a lot of positives.

“I’ve managed Palace and they get a fabulous atmosphere down there so it’ll be difficult. They’ve got some really good attacking players but so have we.”

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