Danny Mills points to Marcelo Bielsa in new Leeds United warning after Watford rout
Leeds United are sitting pretty at the top of the Championship, five points clear of the chasing pack after a 4-0 win over Watford.
The Peacocks put Watford to the sword at Vicarage Road on Wednesday, racing into a 3-0 half-time lead before killing the game off in the second half, with three of their starting front four amongst the goals.
Dan James was superb, scoring twice, while Manor Solomon and Joel Piroe also netted to take the Whites to 66 goals scored this season, 16 more than any other side in the Championship has managed so far.
With the likes of Wilfried Gnonto, Largie Ramazani and Mateo Joseph all unable to break into Daniel Farke‘s starting XI, United have an embarrassment of riches as they look to pull clear at the summit.
Farke is spoilt for choice in terms of options up front despite not adding any reinforcements in the winter transfer window, and former Leeds defender Danny Mills thinks their free-scoring will continue apace.
Danny Mills fears ‘make-or-break’ period for Leeds United
Speaking on talkSPORT with Ally McCoist (12 February, 8:12am), Mills argued that the Championship title is United’s to lose after their result at Watford, but was wary of the fast-approaching Easter period.
Mills said: “[They’re] absolutely flying Ally – it’s theirs to lose. They’ve got a front eight, which they pick any four of for any one game, it’s the best in the Championship.
“Whichever they picked would be the best in the Championship by a mile. They’ve just got to hold their nerve – Easter’s always a crucial time for Leeds, it’s often make-or-break.
“The first season under [Marcelo] Bielsa, it was break; they lost a couple of games, they lost one at home to Wigan. They’ve got to make sure they get through that period.”
Leeds United well-placed to finish the job in promotion race
Sat five points clear at the top, with the most goals in England’s top four divisions and a goal difference higher than both Sheffield United and Burnley have scored, United are well placed to win promotion.
With Leeds, however, things are never that simple, and their ability to collapse and cave in towards the business end of the season has sparked delight from many an opposition fan down the years.
Bielsa’s side may have bounced back from their crushing disappointment in the 2018/19 campaign – which ended in play-off heartbreak – but it came in the form of winning the title behind closed doors.
Farke’s side don’t have a global pandemic to deal with alongside their run-in this term, but having also come unstuck in the Easter period last season, the German will know he can’t take anything for granted.
Few sets of fans are as scarred when it comes to botched promotion races, but the way things are going at Elland Road, the United faithful could be bearing witness to a record-breaking title charge.