Monk remains confident Leeds United's hard work will reap its rewards

The Elland Road club head to Burton Albion tomorrow sitting seventh in the table. Not since late November have United approached a fixture occupying a place outside the play-offs, but Monk remains confident.

“I don’t envisage missing out,” he said. “I have got full confidence in my players and in what we have been doing here. All the hard work and those hours that we have spent on the training ground is what will pay off.

“That is what we trust, that is what we believe in and that is what we will go forward with.”

In nine of the past 10 seasons, a tally of 74 points has been enough to clinch a place in the top six of the Championship.

United and sixth-placed Fulham both have 73 to their name with three games remaining, leaving Monk to suggest the bar this year is going to be exceptionally high.

“I guess it is a little unfortunate that we have hit a year that has been ultra competitive,” added the United head coach, who is expected to welcome back Ronaldo Vieira after a bout of tonsillitis for the club’s first competitive visit to Burton.

“Of course, our mindset is to win these three games, but we could actually win these three games, end up on 82 points and just make the play-offs by one or two points.

“That just shows how competitive it has been this year, how difficult it is to win games and that is why these players deserve massive credit. They have been superb this season.

“There has been no easy games, there has been no givens and that is what has probably contributed to the fact that we will probably have to get 82 points to reach the play-offs by one or two points.”