Elding is desperate to retain his starting place for the club's semi-final against Carlisle United, which begins with the first leg at Elland Road on Monday, but his inclusion may rest entirely on the outcome of Beckford's fitness battle.

Beckford has missed United's last four matches through injury and he trained separately from the first-team squad yesterday as United's medical staff continued to keep a close eye on his condition.

The striker was injured at Leyton Orient on April 5 and though manager Gary McAllister expected the damage to his ankle to heal quickly, Beckford has completed only 51 minutes of the five matches since.

He was omitted from the squad for Saturday's 2-1 victory over Gillingham at Elland Road and was seen at the stadium wearing an ankle brace, but Leeds still hope that he will prove his fitness in time to be considered for Monday night's semi-final first leg.

Beckford has developed an effective relationship with Leeds' on-loan striker Dougie Freedman, and the pair would be McAllister's first-choice partnership up front were both players to be available.

But Elding has started the club's last three matches, all of which have ended in United victories, and the 26-year-old would be the an unfortunate victim of the strength of McAllister's squad should Beckford's return force him from the team.

Elding said: "When I was at Stockport, there were times when I'd miss a few games through injury and then walk straight back into the team so I can't moan if that happens with Jermaine.

"He's been fantastic this season and you can't leave out a 20-goal striker if he's available.

"I know that and if he knocks me out of the side then I'll hold my hands up. It's only fair.

"But I've started the last three games and I'm happy with the way I've been playing.

"Obviously I'm desperate to be involved in the play-offs and I'd love to get the chance to start on Monday. But it's a squad thing and you can't be selfish. I want us to go up."

Beckford is expected to train again tomorrow but McAllister admitted his surprise at the time take to tackle an injury which appeared at first to be a minor problem.

"Sometimes it's the injuries you expect to clear quickly that hang around," McAllister said.

"It looked so innocuous at the time and it's taken longer to heal than we thought it would.

"It's still a little bit sore but he's trained and we're very hopeful."
United, meanwhile, are poised to cash in from bonuses related to a number of their former players during the final throes of the season.

Leeds have already earned £200,000 from Stoke City's promotion to the Premier League due to a clause in the deal which took Richard Cresswell from Elland Road to the Britannia Stadium last summer, and United will bank a further sum if Crystal Palace follow Stoke into the top-flight.

United sold Shaun Derry to Palace during the January transfer window and the agreement included a promotion-related clause.

Leeds chief executive Shaun Harvey said: "We do retain a financial interest in Crystal Palace's season."

A further payment, meanwhile, will be made to Leeds if David Healy – the striker sold to Fulham last year – scores his fifth goal of the season this weekend.

Fulham complete their season away to Portsmouth but Healy's involvement is far from certain after his appearance as an 89th-minute substitute against Birmingham last weekend.