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Leeds United: Liverpool distraction over now let's focus on the MK Dons
The insistence that Liverpool's engaging reputation should not be allowed to distract attention from the competition which matters most to Leeds United will continue to apply on Saturday as the club return to normality in the form of MK Dons.
United's players produced the performance of their lives to run Liverpool close – and, at times, ragged – in the third round of the Carling Cup on Tuesday night, but the exploits of a lower-league club who nearly bridged the gap to the Premier League will be forgotten this weekend when League One resumes.
Simon Grayson's players ended a 1-0 defeat to Liverpool with great credit and no little adulation, threatening an upset which, in spite of their consistent form, had seemed improbable beforehand, but he was bringing his squad down to earth today as they prepared for what is likely to be their most difficult league fixture of the season to date.
United were unbeaten in 10 matches before David Ngog's well-taken goal gave Liverpool the distinction of becoming the first team in 17 attempts to win a competitive match at Elland Road, but Leeds will return to their league campaign with a sense of satisfaction and a two-point advantage at the top of their division.
It has not slipped the attention of Grayson or his players that MK Dons – like Leeds, play-off semi-finalists last season – are as competitive a club as they are likely to meet in League One this year.
And while Liverpool held United's attention at the start of the week, Grayson never viewed the Carling Cup tie as anything more than a pressure-free opportunity for the club's players to express themselves against a team riddled with international players.
"I told my squad that if we lost to Liverpool it wouldn't be the end of the world," said Grayson. "More important was the Gillingham game beforehand and MK Dons afterwards.
"We'll prepare ourselves for MK Dons now. The players are going to be tired because they covered some ground and put in a hell of a shift."
Saturday's 4-1 victory over Gillingham gave no impression of wavering attention among United's players and Grayson will look for similarly sharp focus in Milton Keynes, a location where United were badly beaten in December.
His side collected 13 points from a possible 15 after news of the Carling Cup's third-round draw was released last month, and Patrick Kisnorbo – the pick of United's players at Elland Road on Tuesday evening – was clear about the need for his team-mates to digest their performance quickly.
Kisnorbo said: "We can't get too excited about anything. The experience of playing Liverpool was fantastic but, even though we've performed well, there's a lot of work to be done.
"There's a feeling of excitement in the dressing room, but also one of disappointment. We had chances to score but they showed their Premier League class in the end.
“They’ve won the European Cup recently and they’re in the top 10 clubs in the world – easily in the top four in England. It was a massive test for us, but the boys did fantastically well.
“Overall we’re happy and we did ourselves justice.
“But we need to get this out of our heads and concentrate on Saturday because that’s going to be a hard game.
“I don’t think anyone’s been distracted by Liverpool because we’ve all been clear that there’s a job to be done in the league.
“It’s been a fantastic occasion but our priority is the league, and MK Dons have been doing well. They’re one of many good teams in our league and it’s going to be an extremely tough game.”
Potential
MK Dons lie fourth having lost only one of eight league matches – a 3-2 defeat to Huddersfield Town earlier this month – and a victory at stadium:mk would be another positive endorsement of United’s immediate prospects.
While Grayson is unlikely to dwell on the midweek defeat, he conceded that an inspired performance in front of crowd of more than 38,000 at Elland Road had strengthened the club’s upbeat mood and nurtured what he described as a “feel-good” factor in Leeds, something which was conspicuous by its absence when he first took charge as manager nine months ago.
United’s win over Gillingham last weekend was enough to lift them clear of Charlton at the top of League One – the first time in more than two years that Leeds have led the division for more than 24 hours – and Tuesday’s cup tie against Liverpool was another occasion when the majority of Grayson’s players performed to their potential.
He described Liverpool’s visit as a “no-lose” situation but insisted he had been optimistic that United’s consistent start to the season would lead to a competitive and troublesome performance against a weakened Anfield side.
Grayson said: “I always believed we could produce a performance. My players are talented and very workmanlike, with a good work ethic, and they all stood up to be counted.
“We’ve had a good start to the season and this was another example of what we’ve been doing. I’ll have learned a great deal from this as a manager and my players will have learned a great deal as well.”
United have unpleasant memories of Milton Keynes, Gary McAllister’s reign as manager ended after a brutal 3-1 defeat on December 21 last year.
The mood of the club has improved steadily since then, peaking on Tuesday with an excellent display from United’s players and an impressive turn-out from the city, producing the club’s largest home attendance since May 2008.
Grayson said: “There’s a feelgood factor at the club at the moment.
“The fans are the backing the players and the players are giving them something to cheer about and that’s all you can ask for. It’s a two-way thing and we’ll get promoted this year by backing each other.”
phil.hay@ypn.co.uk
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Weather for Leeds
Friday 10 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -8 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -2 C to -1 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South
