Mel Sterland expecting full completion of Leeds United's season with squads able to cope with demands

MEL Sterland feels the English football season must be played to be a completion with the former Leeds United defender confident the Whites will play their final nine games.
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Leeds have seen their Championship promotion push halted by the country’s ongoing battle with coronavirus which has the nation on lockdown amidst strict social distancing measures.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will review the lockdown at the back end of this week with Leeds having not kicked a ball since the 2-0 win at home to Huddersfield Town on March 7.

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Both the Premier League and EFL seasons are currently suspended with Leeds top of the Championship and holding a seven-point cushion in the division’s automatic promotion places with nine games left and one point clear of second-placed West Brom.

NINE GAMES LEFT: Patrick Bamford and Luke Ayling embrace after Bamford's second strike in January's 3-2 win against Millwall. Former defender Mel Sterland thinks the Whites will soon be back up and running. Photo by George Wood/Getty Images.NINE GAMES LEFT: Patrick Bamford and Luke Ayling embrace after Bamford's second strike in January's 3-2 win against Millwall. Former defender Mel Sterland thinks the Whites will soon be back up and running. Photo by George Wood/Getty Images.
NINE GAMES LEFT: Patrick Bamford and Luke Ayling embrace after Bamford's second strike in January's 3-2 win against Millwall. Former defender Mel Sterland thinks the Whites will soon be back up and running. Photo by George Wood/Getty Images.

Several leagues across Europe have already decided to end their seasons early - settling standings with varying methods or even null and voiding campaigns - but both the Premier League and EFL have repeatedly stated their desire to fulfil remaining fixtures when safe to do so.

That will mean cramming games into a short of space of time with the EFL hoping to play all their remaining fixtures over 56 days but Sterland feels modern day squads have the players to cope with the former right back fully expecting Leeds to complete their promotion push on the pitch.

“They’ve got to finish it,” Sterland told the YEP.

“I think they will finish it but it will be behind closed doors.

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“And I think everyone else will want it finished as well because they have all had their money from the football and they have probably all spent it as well so you have to look at it like that.

“But if it’s behind closed doors it’s behind closed doors but the main thing is to get to finished as I don’t know about everybody else but my God do I miss it.

“I don’t usually miss football, I don’t usually miss it one but it’s a release.”

Assessing the potential options of settling positions via points per game, current standings or even null and voiding the season if fixtures cannot be fulfilled, Sterland said confidently: “I think they will just finish it and I think they will get the games in.

“We have got to realise that these players are fit.

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“It’s not as if they go out drinking every day and the players will be keeping fit.

“They are fit people and fit lads.

“There are big teams in the Premier League and they have got enough players for three teams.

“They have got that many players that they can play these games in a short space of time and most teams in the Championship can put two teams out.

“There are enough players there.

“Let’s finish it, get promotion and jobs a good un and obviously win it though having that said that I’m not bothered if we finish second - just as long as we go up - we don’t want the play offs!

“Just finish first or second and I think the first two now are the best two teams in the league and I think that’s the two that will go up.”