Ex-Leeds United manager warns Whites of key problem following 'flat' showing at Huddersfield

Leeds United will be challenged mentally over the coming weeks as they look to bounce back from a 'flat' showing at Huddersfield Town, says Paul Heckingbottom. The Whites were held to a 1-1 draw by the Terriers on Saturday afternoon with Patrick Bamford bagging a second half equaliser to cancel out Michal Helik's opener at the John Smith's Stadium.

The home side were reduced to 10-men in the first half as Jonathan Hogg was shown a second yellow card for catching Junior Firpo with his elbow, but they held firm and managed to hold onto a point. The result brings an end to Leeds' nine-game winning run in the Championship as they missed the chance to move to within three points of Leicester City, at least temporarily, at the top of table.

Leeds will be disappointed, of course, after struggling to find a way to edge out the Championship strugglers, who find themselves in a battle to stay in the division. But they must move on from the result, insists former United manager Heckingbottom, and put the result against their West Yorkshire rivals into context.

"There was a little bit [of flatness] but a lot of that is to do with Huddersfield," Heckingbottom said as part of Sky Sports' coverage of the clash. "For a team at the top of the league you're not going to be at your brilliant best every single week. You have to find a way.

"Daniel tried that with his substitutions and went a little bit more attacking and when Patrick scored you thought they would get back in the game and maybe would be favourites to go on and win it."

He added: "The mental side of the game in this run-in is huge. Two points dropped in 10 games in 2024 is remarkable and that is how you put things into context. The problem is the form of the teams at the top, is a point going to be good enough? We'll not know until the end of the season. If they were running away with it, a point is a great point, but Ipswich could win today and put more pressure on Leeds."