"Not like that" - Dan James on Leeds United top-two quest, five-team verdict and sole exception

Daniel Farke’s Whites will continue their quest for an immediate return to the Premier League in Sunday’s lunchtime showdown at home to Preston North End in which a victory would take fourth-placed Leeds to within four points of second-placed Ipswich Town.

Ipswich, though, who visit leaders Leicester City on Monday night, would have already dropped to third place if Southampton bag a victory in today’s lunchtime kick-off at Swansea City which the Saints are approaching on a 19-game unbeaten run.

Even that form does not have Russell Martin’s side in the top two, Southampton still three points behind Ipswich who themselves are seven points adrift of runaway leaders Leicester City who suffered a rare reverse in last weekend’s 3-1 defeat at Coventry City.

But Enzo Maresca’s side were leading before Abdul Fatawu was sent off for a late lunge and James admits Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton in addition to fifth-placed West Brom and sixth-placed improvers Coventry all deserve praise for their recent form, particularly Leicester for being the sole exception in keeping a a “consistent path”.

There is, admits James, no real sign of relent at present from the teams at the top of the tree but the winger has delivered a confident message in where Leeds are currently at, declaring that his side just need to keep going in their own bid to gatecrash the top two.

Speaking on the Official EFL Podcast, James was asked about the pace being set at the top of the division and reasoned: “I saw a picture of the league table this time last year of Burnley and I think at the time we would’ve been top of the league, so it shows the quality. You’ve got the three teams obviously who came down last year, plus Ipswich, who have been doing unbelievable, then you’ve got Coventry and West Brom.

"There are a lot of teams who are playing a lot of football this year that fans want to see and there are some great contests out there and that’s what we want really. I know you’d love to just go into every game and think it’s an easy one, but it’s not like that, wherever you go. There's so many games to go.

"At the minute, Southampton are on a 19-game unbeaten run and they’ve been excellent so fair play to them and we've just got to keep going. Leicester obviously lost the other day, I know they had ten men, but they started so well and they’re probably the only team that’s kept that consistent path and they’ve been absolutely brilliant and everyone is chasing them. It's been great for us and the spectators especially enjoying it this year."

James added: "We’ve got a good mould here. We’ve been playing great, attacking football, football that the fans want to see. We had a little bit of a blip at the start of the season but we’ve come into our own.

"Around Christmas, we had two away losses on the bounce and it’s obviously disappointing to lose two games in three and everyone starts to talk a little bit. We had to go into that New Year with a win and we’ve won the last two now and obviously the FA Cup game as well and we’re confident at the minute.

"We've been playing good football. But there are so many games to go and there are great teams around us and they're not losing at the minute so we've just to keep going."