United's chairman and his directors sat for three hours at Elland Road discussing the options in front of them amid the realisation that John Carver was not the answer to their prayers.
After much debate, the decision was taken to appoint Dennis Wise as United's permanent replacement for Kevin Blackwell, and the appointment was confirmed five days later on a sun-soaked balcony in Monaco.
Thus were Leicester partially responsible for the chain of events that has preceded tonight's league game at the Walkers Stadium.
The interim has been dramatic, to say the least. Thirteen signings, one mole and a dropped captain have consumed United's agenda, stories intensified by the club's woeful results and critical league position.
In all, the 25 games between their home and away encounters with Leicester have yielded a pitiful 24 points from the 75 were on offer.
But, after a season in which Leeds have struggled to operate with a ounce of normality, Wise will feel a rare surge of control as he prepares for tonight's game.
United's manager has argued for weeks that Leeds are safe in his hands. With nine games remaining, he has the chance to prove it.
By 10pm tonight, United may have reached a position outside the Championship's relegation zone for the first time since the end of November. Wise might bemoan the importance of inches and fine lines, but his side's malaise has been long and consistent.
Certain cliches still ring true, however, such as the fact that it is better to be well-placed at the end of a race than at the start. United's avoidance of relegation would, for Wise, his players and the club's supporters, make the stress of the last seven months worthwhile.
"It's been a mad four-and-a-bit months for me," said Wise. "So many things have happened. It's crazy.
"But we get on with it, and we're not running out of games. We're very close and a couple of points would take us out (of the relegation zone) if the others lose.
"We've crept up now and it's good that we've kept in touch with the others. But we've got to sort our own house out.
"When you're on a little high, this game is very good at kicking you right in the wotsits and bringing you back down to earth.
"If we do enough we'll stay up, if we don't then we won't. I've said it all along – we know what we have to achieve."
Wise's note of caution was, in spite of the euphoria after Saturday's defeat of Luton, a sensible ploy.
Leeds are still the Championship's 24th-ranked club, and an extended sequence of poor form during the final nine games would be enough to finish the club off.
When the international break ends later this month, Leeds will embark on what amounts to a demanding and difficult run-in.
Their manager would not be unwise to demand that his players leave Southend on Saturday – the second of two successive away matches – with the Championship's bottom three beneath them.
Leicester are almost a cut above the relegation contest, although Rob Kelly's side were deeply unimpressive at Crystal Palace on Saturday.
But their last home defeat came against Sunderland on New Year's Day, and Kelly has strengthened his squad with the loan signing of Shaun Newton from West Ham United.
Wise, however, has taken great encouragement from United's defeat of Luton.
"It meant a lot to all of the players," he said. "They don't want it (relegation) to happen.
"They're trying their hardest and they've given me as much as possible, but unfortunately there hasn't been a God on our side – with injuries, the goal that wasn't (at Birmingham) and a few other things.
"But we have to look at the positives. It's a true saying – if you keep a clean sheet you can't lose the game, and we limited Luton to hardly any chances.
"We were more compact. We looked solid as a unit, and when we broke. We've got a very sensible man in the centre in (Radostin) Kishishev, and Jonathan Douglas is growing a lot.
"When you've got two players like that in midfield you can control the game. I'm pleased and the lads are chuffed, but we've got an important game coming up."
Richard Cresswell, who scored the winning goal against Luton, is the best – and arguably the most deserving – example of improved fortunes at United.
Injured for much of the season and restricted to only two goals before Saturday, Cresswell could easily have forgotten what it means to ignite the Kop at Elland Road.
The crowd of players who smothered the striker after his sweet finish against Mike Newell's side must have brought his happier memories flooding back.
"I'm not a good loser," admitted Cresswell. "It's nice to see we've got the points and closed the gap.
"But it's not the biggest goal I've scored. If I score the one that keep us in the league, that'll be the biggest."