Whites need a favour, Izzy Brown's prospects and Kemar Roofe or Patrick Bamford or both - Leeds United Talking Points

Kemar Roofe or Patrick Bamford or both

Whites head coach Marcelo Bielsa was able to call on Leeds United's top scorer Kemar Roofe for the first time in nearly two months following a knee injury but it was no real surprise to see Roofe start on the bench which is often the Bielsa way back.

But that still served as a big vote of confidence in £7m striker Patrick Bamford following some unconvincing recent displays yet Bamford was unable to put away the two best chances of the game.

It might well have been that had either of those opportunities been converted, especially the first one, Leeds might still be sat in second.

All ifs, buts and maybes but the Whites quite simply cannot afford to continue wasting such glorious openings though it should be added that Bamford was very unlucky not to score when his header was brilliantly saved by Lee Camp in the 69th minute.

Bamford was also not alone in wasting chances with Tyler Roberts guilty of trying an ambitious attempt from a tight angle in the third minute when Jack Harrison and Gjanni Alioski were free in the box.

But Bamford's two main misses were glorious chances and a headed attempt might have been better for the first opportunity with the second opening skied over the bar from close range.

Bamford is a very likable and honest player who will know he should have done better and the striker has readily fronted up this season when fluffing his lines.

He will also have been heartened by the words of Bielsa who praised his character and personality afterwards and also insisted Bamford had performed better than in the previous weekend's clash against Millwall.

Roofe was finally brought in the 70th minute but the returning striker struggled to get involved and was unable to have an attempt at goal.

But time is running out with United's automatic promotion destiny now back out of their own hands with six games left and Leeds are getting to a point where they are literally in danger of running out of chances.

With Roofe now having 20 minutes under his belt, it will be interesting to see who gets the nod upfront for Tuesday night's clash at Preston though Roofe can also be used on ether flank or as a no 10 though there is no denying the 26-year-old is best off upfront.

Tyler Roberts fulfilled the no 10 role against the Blues with Jack Harrison and Pablo Hernandez out wide before the introductions of first Stuart Dallas and then Jack Clarke.

So who starts upfront at Preston?

Considering the loyalty of Bielsa you would suspect Bamford but whoever leads the line simply has to start tucking away chances, the conversion of which are going to be the difference between automatic promotion and play-offs.

A harder run in and Sheffield United's to lose?

There was an almighty sense of relief all round at Elland Road following last weekend's dramatic 3-2 win against Millwall which put Leeds back into second and two points above Sheffield United who slipped up by the same score at home to Bristol City.

But that advantage has now gone and the Blades are now in a position knowing that six wins from their last six games will put them in the Premier League and leave Leeds heading for the play-offs.

A bit of a sickener and United's players naturally looked completely dejected at full-time with Tyler Roberts pulling his shirt over his face and Kalvin Phillips notably left staring into thin air almost in disbelief. Hard to watch.

Still, all is not lost and it should be remembered that Leeds were in exactly the same situation approaching last weekend.

If Chris Wilder's Blades do win their last six - which could happen - then Leeds will have to take it on the chin.

But the Championship is notoriously unpredictable which must offer Leeds hope even if four of Sheffield United's remaining six games come against teams in the bottom ten with ninth-placed Nottingham Forest at home and 11th-placed Hull City away the only exceptions.

Other than that, home clashes against fifth-bottom Millwall and rock-bottom Ipswich Town also beckon as well as trips to 15th-placed Stoke City on the final day and 17th-placed Birmingham who are next up on Wednesday night.

Somewhere along the lines, Leeds need a favour and perhaps their former head coach Garry Monk can provide it by overseeing another victory for his Birmingham side at St Andrew's against the Blades on Wednesday night.

Leeds, meanwhile, play three teams in the top half in their final six games and one side in the play-offs in the shape of a fifth-placed Aston Villa side who have won six in a row and who come to Elland Road on the penultimate weekend.

Twelth-placed Sheffield Wednesday who come to Elland Road next Saturday night and Tuesday night's tenth-placed hosts Preston complete the trio of remaining opponents in the top half with Leeds also facing an Elland Road clash with sixth-bottom Wigan Athletic as well as trips to 14th-placed Brentford and bottom of the table Ipswich Town on the final day.

On paper, Leeds have the harder looking run-in but for now it's pointless worrying about the various possibilities and permutations and first things first, Leeds quite simply must bounce back with a win at tenth-placed Preston where victory would put them back into second at least for 24 hours.

The last thing Leeds need is Wilder's men going to Birmingham knowing that a positive result would pull them further clear.

Pablo Hernandez's injury

The consequences of Saturday's loss at St Andrew's could be damaging enough as it is without Leeds losing their most creative player.

Hernandez endured a real rare off day and ultimately left St Andrew's with his left foot in a protective boot.

Leeds, though, are confident that the Spaniard will will recover from the knock to his ankle in time for Tuesday night's clash at Deepdale with the midfielder put in a boot as a precaution ahead of a closer medical examination.

Hernandez is clearly integral to the cause and United need him and his team mates back in prime condition and in top form for Tuesday evening against a Preston side that have suddenly lost back to back games having won eight of their last 12 and drawing the other four.

It is imperative that Leeds make that three defeats in a row.

Brilliance from Kiko Casilla and calling Izzy Brown?

Even Bielsa struggled to find the positives from Saturday's display at St Andrew's but dual Champions League winning goalkeeper Kiko Casilla was definitely back with a bang following a one-match ban.

Casilla's return meant Bailey Peacock-Farrell dropping back to the bench but it was hats off to Casilla who made six solid saves and Che Adams will be wondering how he only left with the one goal to his name.

But United's problems were at the other end of the pitch with Leeds having 73 per cent of possession but only one shot on target compared to Birmingham's seven.

That clearly needs massively improving with Bielsa left blaming himself for starting with three centre-backs in Pontus Jansson, Liam Cooper and Kalvin Phillips to combat the threat of Birmingham's front two.

That meant Mateusz Klich fulfilling a deeper role than usual in centre midfield and the plan did not work, for all that Leeds still fluffed some glorious chances.

Bielsa also said his choice of substitutions were not the best with Roofe and Jack Clarke the obvious calls and not brought in until the 70th minute though both struggled to make an impact.

It was actually half-time change Stuart Dallas who had the most positive effect of United's three substitutes, with Gaetano Berardi, Jamie Shackleton and Adam Forshaw all staying on the bench along with Peacock-Farrell and Izzy Brown not involved at all.

Brown also missed out against Millwall though Bielsa said the Chelsea loanee had been carrying an injury but that he was now fine.

But United's head coach needs his side to hit full attacking verve in these last six games and it will be interesting to see if Brown is at least in the 18 against Preston with both he and Shackleton obvious options to bolster creativity.

Plenty to ponder with time running out but no doubt more twists and turns to come.