By Mark Smith

21st Dec, 2019 | 9:31am

'Slowly shrinking' - Holloway issues verdict on C'ship race, predicts Leeds clash v Fulham

Leeds United will be sitting comfortably towards the top of the Championship with their 10-point gap to third-placed Preston.

The Whites will know better than anyone that it can come crashing down quickly. Marcelo Bielsa’s men sat top at Christmas last season but became one of the first sides to not turn that into promotion.

Christmas is a gruelling period for many. Leeds’ fixtures make their run possibly even worst, with games against Fulham, West Brom, and Preston all to come in the next three weeks.

Ian Holloway has claimed that despite a large gap at the top of the Championship, that will soon close. The EFL on Quest pundit went on to predict that it could be Fulham who deals the first blow to Leeds on Saturday.

“I don’t see Leeds and West Brom running away with it. I reckon come January you’ll see that ten-point gap from second downwards slowly shrinking,” he wrote in his Mirror column.

“You can toss a coin on Leeds’ visit to Fulham. It looks from the outside as if Leeds will continue their solid form, especially because the Cottagers have lost their last three.

“But ultimately Fulham is a team who can hurt you – they’ve got so much quality on the pitch, but off it as well.”

Leeds will be looking to bounce back quickly from the disappointment of the draw against Cardiff. There would be no better way to do that than putting one of their promotion rivals to the sword at Craven Cottage.

Holloway is spot on though. Fulham might not be in the best run of form, but they have quality players running throughout their side who are capable of amazing things if given the opportunity.

Leeds will need to be at their best in London on Saturday, but a win against Fulham would send confidence levels through the roof – possibly squashing the fears brought to light by Holloway.

In other Leeds United news, ‘Very good player’ – Ben Parker expects Fulham to make ‘high quality’ change v Leeds