Leeds United: Whites have to match up to the Reds' energy level '“ Ritchie

I THOUGHT Leeds were going to get drawn against Manchester United in the EFL Cup quarter-finals.
Garry Monk.Garry Monk.
Garry Monk.

They didn’t but Liverpool away is a massive tie.

Leeds head coach Garry Monk won’t be thinking about it yet as there’s quite a few league games to get through before that and those are the bread and butter.

But it’s nice to be there and nice to be playing against a top side and I’m sure that the money it generates will be good for the football club as well.

Jurgen Klopp.Jurgen Klopp.
Jurgen Klopp.
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Anfield has always been a very partisan ground to go to, and you know that you are in Liverpool – put it that way.

I’ve played there for Manchester United as well as for Brighton and we managed to win there in the FA Cup many moons ago and we won in the league as well – I think I scored in the league for Brighton.

But it’s a difficult ground to go to and I think with the way that they play now and the way that they are playing at the minute, it’s going to be a very, very tough tie.

They are very, very energetic, they are very ‘in your face’ and the way they play is a high-pressing game with high energy.

Nigel Clough.Nigel Clough.
Nigel Clough.
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And if you don’t match that then you’ll be in trouble and we’ve seen that with some top sides already in the Premier League.

Garry Monk will be quite aware of what they have got to do and I am sure he will go and watch them beforehand but he will be thinking about the Championship campaign which is going okay at the moment.

In terms of their chances of going through, it’s not a problem to win a one-off game.

You’ve got to just go out and do what you’ve got to do and give everything.

Jurgen Klopp.Jurgen Klopp.
Jurgen Klopp.
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Leeds have shown their mettle and they showed it the other night in twice going behind and managing to navigate the penalties – and they’ve got a chance.

It’s a one-off game – you go out and anything can happen and Liverpool will probably be under more pressure than Leeds I would say.

Leeds have got nothing to lose and for Liverpool it’s totally the opposite.

Burton Albion are next up in the league for Leeds at Elland Road this afternoon and Burton have had a lot more recovery time having last played last Friday.

Nigel Clough.Nigel Clough.
Nigel Clough.
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But Leeds are on a good run in the league as well at the moment and Garry will want to keep that going.

Burton have not won away from home yet in the league but it’s stats like that I always think that opposing managers don’t like – I certainly don’t like them.

When they have not won away from home and you are the next one to come up you are thinking let’s make sure they have still not won away at the end of the game.

Burton have been a bit of a surprise package and I think that they have got some good players there.

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But Leeds just need to go out with the attitude that they have in the last few games I think.

It looks as though they have got a little bit of a never-say-day attitude as well – they can pull out of the stops and be very, very resilient and I think Garry will just want more of the same. And playing two games in four days is not a lot. At Christmas we used to play two games in two days and I have done that before now.

Leeds are now fifth in the Championship form table with 16 points from their last eight games and that’s play-off form.

We said that could happen once they got it going – and they have done.

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Garry has got his way of playing into them and he’s not had a lot of time to do that.

We keep talking about this and keep harping on about how he has got to be given time but it looks as though it is getting there.

The players are responding and that will obviously bring the faithful back – if they keep winning and teams keep getting beaten at Elland Road they will be back in their droves.

We know they can get the crowds at Leeds – it’s just that I think they voted with their feet a bit at a few things behind the scenes that they didn’t fancy.

But Garry has got to be given a chance and looks to be getting a semblance of some form together there.