Leeds United sweating over fitness of key player of conclusion of their Championship season

How long that will be is unclear at this stage.

The Whites' match against QPR is their penultimate of the regular season, which ends with the visit of Southampton on May 11.

But Leeds are engaged in a four-way battle for two automatic promotion places for the Championship and if they miss out they will drop into a two-legged play-off semi-final.

James has lost his place in the starting line-up to Willy Gnonto for the last two games but has come off the bench in both.

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At Middlesbrough on Monday he received treatment after the final whistle for a costal cartilage injury and an oblique abdominal muscle tear.

The injury is still being assessed but the Elland Road club have confirmed he will not play at Loftus Road on Friday.

James has scored 14 goals this season, the last at home to his hometown club Hull City.

Leeds are second in the Championship, a point clear of Ipswich Town. The Tractor Boys have a game in hand but their next match, at Hull on Saturday evening, comes after Leeds have played QPR.

Leicester City and fourth-placed Southampton are one point ahead and six points behind Leeds respectively, but play their game in hand at the King Power Stadium on Tuesday.

The Saints have a vastly inferior goal difference to Leeds.

The play-off final is on May 26, at 4.30pm.