Mateusz Klich on Leeds United channelling hurt into happiness

The Whites stand tantalisingly positioned to end their 16-year exile from the Premier League and will welcome Yorkshire rivals Barnsley in their penultimate home appointment of the season on Thursday - a game which everyone connected with the club hopes will be their second to last fixture at Elland Road as a Championship outfit for some time.

Alongside showing further conclusive evidence of their technical footballing excellence for a second successive campaign under Marcelo Bielsa, Leeds have shown the more old-fashioned traits of determination, resolve and desire in their mission to make up for last season's heartache.

It will make promotion all the sweeter, should it be achieved as most now expect.

Klich said: "No-one wanted the same ending as last year and obviously last season was painful, but it is all gone and it is a new season and everyone wants to go the Premier League.

"It is the same team and players and we have learned from our mistakes and this is the big thing."

Individual accomplishments have, once again, been worthy of considerable merit across the board in another outstanding campaign, with the exquisite skills of talismanic midfielder Pablo Hernandez having again come to the fore on a number of occasions - headlined by his strike at Swansea City last Sunday, perhaps the definitive moment in United's season.

Klich is full of praise for the impact of the gifted Spaniard, who like a fine Rioja, has got better with age.

The Pole continued: "He (Hernandez) is one of the best players I have ever played with.

"He played for Valencia in the Champions League when they were a very good side with great players.

"You could see he could play great football and physically, he is doing alright as he is playing very high demanding games for a high and demanding manager.

"I am very happy he is with us and he has saved us points and won games and he is a great player to have."