Javi Gracia's Leeds United press conference highlights as coach previews Palace and provides new injury update

I don’t know if there are many changes from my last experience. Always was hard this competition, always very demanding. Now in this moment, we are arriving to the end and all the teams can feel that moment and all of them make an extra effort and maybe it’s the moment you can see all the teams in a better level. In my opinion, I don’t find many changes.

I think Brenden now is concerned to score more goals for the team but he is doing a great job for the team playing in between the lines, creating play and helping a lot in the defensive work. That is the balance we need, when we are defending we need all of them to have the same mentality as Brenden. When attacking in the future we want to give him more skills to finish better, more clinical. It’s something that’s coming, he has the right attitude.

I think it’s difficult when the players you have don’t understand many things but I can tell you first of all very good professionals and they accept all my decisions and always with good spirit because they only have one objective: try to help the team. After, sure they want to play more. Yesterday one of the first things I did was to thank all the players, the behaviour they have trying to push the team from the bench, from the stands, maybe different from other clubs. We have very good atmosphere and it will help us get our objectives.

I could feel the relation between the supporters and the team from my first game. For example when I was at the memorial for Christopher and Kevin, it’s something you can feel the difference in the club, you can see the relation between the supporters with all the club. It’s something really emotional and something we have to keep for the next years.

I think he’s one player doing many things well. In the last game we spoke how important the defensive work was for the whole team, but the defensive line, concentrating when we were attacking. It was crucial for getting the points. All the defensive line is at a high level, I’m trying to improve our defensive work. When I arrived it was something we needed to improve.

Massive for us. It’s something I’m sure it will make the difference for us, playing at home with the atmosphere we have, it’s special. You could feel in the last game, we started losing and all the support we felt in that moment helped us to get three points at the end of the game. It’s something extra for us. I always want to thank our supporters for the support they give us.

Now we can speak about how important it is to get six points in these two games but I’m not watching our last game to give more or less importance to the next. Now it’s a new game where we know it’s our objective in play and we need the points. Now it’s trying to be focused on that game. It’s like if it were a final for us, we have to play with that mentality.

I expect a very difficult game for sure, like all of the games in this competition. I had the opportunity to play against him when I was at Watford. I know him very well, very nice person, always had a very good behaviour. It will be a pleasure to see him again.

I think it’s my decision, it’s my job to take that decision. We spoke about it, when I arrive at a new club I want to know the characteristics and positions of the players. After that I have to choose the best solution, best shape. First thing is to know my players better. After living with them different experiences I have to choose the best options.

It’s not easy but I try to choose the best players for every game. It’s the most difficult decision every week, always thinking what’s best for every game.