Leeds United v Millwall: No excuses on Whites' weekend of great expectations

If everything goes to form this weekend – and that is always a big ‘if’ in the Championship – Leeds could be out of the automatic promotion places on Saturday night and top of the tree on Sunday.

With the table frozen for nearly a fortnight afterwards and only eight games left once it thaws, the psychological leg-up could be big for them, the pressure maybe bigger still for Leicester City.

So it is a big weekend, and one that for once in the hurly-burly of the second tier they have been able to prepare – even actually train – properly for.

After justified grumbles about such a busy recent schedule, it feels like this week has been the real breather and it is vital they make the most of it against revitalised Millwall.

Because whilst the period between Sunday’s 3pm kick-off and Good Friday will go down as a “break” for Leeds, it is anything but for their international players. Ilia Gruev will end his with Bulgaria in Azerbaijan, Dominican Republic international Junior Firpo is due to play in Peru in the early hours of Holy Wednesday UK time.

But Sky Sports have done Leeds a rare favour. If asking them to play a fourth game in 10 days at Sheffield Wednesday on a Friday night did not seem like it at the time, the pay-off was nine days until Millwall.

"In the beginning it was important to calm the load down a bit," explains manager Daniel Farke.

"We were in on Saturday and had a proper training session for the players who didn't play 90 minutes (the day before) and analysed the Sheffield (Wednesday) game.

"It was important to have a session at Thorp Arch on Saturday to draw a line under this period, then we allowed the players two days off and for some it was an even another relaxed day because I think it was important to calm the load down a bit after some crazy weeks in terms of load, concentration and focus.

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"Then we started to prepare for the Millwall game. It was good to have some time on the training pitch.

"It will be a difficult game so we tried to work on our game but also to adapt our exercises to the key factors.

"We have had a good opportunity to prepare in the best possible way but it will be a big challenge. They are in really good shape and form and have had some good results since Neil (Harris) took over (as coach)."

And although Farke always tries to resist looking too far ahead, you sense his relief at being able to focus purely on Millwall this week.

"Once you have a period like we had with four games within 10 days you always have to focus on the next game and perhaps take a bit more into account that in two-and-a-half days the next game is lurking, especially in the positions where you have to be creative, run a lot and do high-intensity running," he admits. "It's not possible to to play four games in 10 days and be on the best level for every second.

"But right now for the Millwall game all these thoughts are not important because the next game is 12 days later.

"I won't think for one minute in my team selection about Watford (on Good Friday) or what they have to handle during the international games.

"At least this week we don't have to speak too much about being tired because we've had a good week to prepare ourselves. No excuses for the weekend."

No excuses, but a huge incentive.

There was a phase in the season where Farke seemed to be asked on a weekly basis about the significance of his team moving up or down the table, only to dismiss it as irrelevant so early in the campaign.

And even if Leeds go top of the Championship for the first time under him, as they will if they can win by more than a goal whilst Leicester are busy in the FA Cup quarter-finals, he is bound to trot out a similar line after the match.

For some of his young players, though, it will be a shot in the arm at a very good time. More importantly, it could be a dent to the Foxes, who have got used to being in the driving seat but could feel Ipswich Town's breath on their neck for the second automatic promotion spot if the Tractor Boys win at home to Sheffield Wednesday too.

"It's a bit of a difference is you chase or if you have to bring a lead over the line," says Farke, in a rare admission that the March table is worth a second glance.

"You have to be able to handle this because it's a different experience.

"But this season it doesn't change that much because the other (top-four) teams are showing such consistency that every team has pressure to be there with good results.

"The table position wouldn't change our dynamic that much. Leicester would have a game in hand so I'm not over-interpreting the league position too much.

"What is definitely priceless are the three points."

Leeds have ignored plenty of excuses in an unbeaten start to 2024 in the Championship. Now the lie of the land suits them they have to cash in.