Schmeichel's return provides Leeds United with splash of positivity

The alarm bells may not quite be ringing at Leeds United but the recent slump in form has, nevertheless, become a huge cause for concern.

United's latest setback on Monday night saw Cardiff City provide a footballing lesson en route to a 4-0 victory.

Such was the control the promotion-chasers from Wales exerted once ahead after Jay Bothroyd had capitalised on indecision in the Leeds defence that, with more composed finishing, the winning margin could have even been doubled.

Following on from last month's 6-4 defeat at home to Preston North End and the ease with which Leicester City triumphed at Elland Road eight days ago, the defeat to Cardiff has led to optimism among supporters being thin on the ground.

Manager Simon Grayson, however, insists that despite the individual errors that again characterised his side's display, there was one major piece of good news on Monday night – the return of Kasper Schmeichel.

After eight games and almost two months on the sidelines due to a foot injury, the Danish goalkeeper was a surprise inclusion in the starting line-up to face Dave Jones's Cardiff.

Grayson said: "It was a big bonus to have Kasper back in goal. We have missed him.

"We were a bit unfortunate in losing Kasper to start with and then (United's No 2 goalkeeper) Shane Higgs.

"With your goalkeeper, it is all about developing relationships.

"For the first half-a-dozen matches, Kasper built a decent relationship with the back four and the more he plays the better it will get.

"He didn't have any reserve or friendly matches before Cardiff but we were confident about his fitness levels and his ability to come straight into the team.

"No disrespect to the other goalkeepers we have had in the team recently but Kasper has a presence."

As was to be expected of someone making their first appearance since August 28, Schmeichel was not at his sharpest.

He was involved in the mix-up with Alex Bruce that led to Bothroyd scoring Cardiff's opener, and it is doubtful that the fully-fit Schmeichel who played so impressively in August would have been beaten at his near post in the manner Lee Naylor managed for Monday night's fourth goal.

Grayson, whose side have conceded 16 goals at home in seven games, added: "In half-a-dozen games' time, he will be a little sharper. Maybe he would have saved a couple of the goals that Cardiff scored but I am not blaming him at all.

"Those are just the high standards he sets himself. He has been training for the last 10 days.

"It wasn't something we decided at the last minute – he was always going to play and I knew where I was with him.

"I might just have played the situation down and kept it low profile when people asked about him.

"But Kasper getting 90 minutes under his belt is a positive from the game."

Monday's defeat, the first time Leeds had lost three games in a row at home in more than four years, means Grayson's side will travel to Scunthorpe United this weekend in determined mood.

With the fortnight that follows the trip to Glanford Park also including home games against Hull City and Bristol City either side of a visit to Coventry City, picking up points is paramount to prevent a further slide down the Championship.

Grayson said: "We are going through a tough time at the moment but we need to stick together and turn around a bit of a sticky patch.

"I am confident that we will. There was no reason for me to rant and rave because I genuinely thought they applied themselves well.

"We have got to keep believing and I have got to keep believing that the players I have brought to the club are good enough to get results for me.

"The same group of players went to Middlesbrough (a week last Saturday) and won.

"They have also beaten Sheffield United, Swansea City, Millwall and Watford. There isn't a lot wrong in terms of what we are capable of doing but margins for error in this division are so small."

Grayson, meanwhile, plans to speak to Sunderland about possibly extending the loan stay of left-back George McCartney.

The Wearsiders' manager, Steve Bruce, was at Elland Road on Monday night to watch son Alex in action for Leeds.