'Shade it' - David Prutton on Leeds United v Ipswich, XI shout, Gnonto and four-point gap chance

I'm not saying that Leeds are in Norwich's situation but Norwich showed what can be done. Ipswich are lining up for today's contest ten points ahead of Leeds but I don't think they are completely unassailable and I don't think that gap is one that can't be chipped away at.

There's plenty of games left as after today's game we are bang in the middle of the season. There's plenty of time. But as is the case when you are playing teams that are around you down the bottom, if you are looking to catch teams in the top two then beating them is exactly what you've got to do

Leeds did that against Leicester and I'm intrigued with Ipswich. I think they've been absolutely wonderful. They have been wonderful to watch and a great addition to the Championship. They attack in a very fluid and very dynamic way so Leeds have got to be careful. But we've seen with Leeds that if you get Dan James, Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter and Joel Piroe on song then they are a handful. I think if you looked at it from a neutral standpoint, you're just looking at it and thinking 'I hope these two teams just go at each other.'

The gap will either be seven, ten or 13 points come Saturday afternoon and with Leeds there will be that bit in the back of their minds about not wanting the gap to be too big. If it's seven then bonus, wonderful and happy days. If it's ten then fair enough. If it's 13 then work to be done but you don't box the season off or look at it from an overly pessimistic point of view if you get a good performance but not the result.

I think if you get played off the park then that's a little bit more concerning but I think Leeds at their best are a match for Ipswich at their best, absolutely. Leeds are odds on favourites to win with the bookies and it's a tough one to dovetail in with what the odds are. To say the league is competitive maybe doesn't quite fit right when you look at the table and you have got teams that are up and above everyone else. But it absolutely is and as the cliche goes, on any given day, anything can happen.

I'd say Leeds shade it because of their vociferous home support and how tough Elland Road can be. But we also know that at times in games they have kicked themselves for missing chances. That's what Ipswich will take a fair bit of heart from going into the game. It's one of those where it's the Saturday before Christmas and hopefully there's that kind of carnival atmosphere mixed with that real competitive edge and everyone gets a good game all round.

One of the main topics on the Leeds team selection front is probably whether or not Daniel Farke should bring Willy Gnonto into the starting line up. But who would he come in for? Dan James? Gnonto is certainly a great option from the bench.

I just think there's enough trust in this team with what they've done so far for Daniel to again with the same XI. But Leeds are going to need everybody going into a Christmas period where it's going to be busy and Daniel doesn't strike me as a man that is scared of changing his bench, or as a man that is scared of changing the team up as and when he sees fit.

As much as there's an element of him being very calm, composed and not necessarily softly spoken but very kind of genial company, make no mistake, he's a ruthless manager. I've heard bits and bobs to know that if you aren't doing a job then he'll find someone else that will do a job. But I think broadly that isn't a stick that you can beat anybody at Leeds with at this moment in time can you? There's nothing glaring.

Yes, we are frustrated when centre forwards and attacking players don't score good chances that are created. But that's par for the course because if you are a team in the top end of the Championship then you will be inherently inconsistent.

I think he should go with an unchanged team and then obviously you assess it again going into Boxing Day at Preston who are another entity altogether given their recent form. They'll want to have an upswing and what better place to do it than against Leeds United. But without kind of dissolving into platitudes. getting out of the division won't be straightforward/ Getting out of the division involves beating teams like Ipswich and Preston.

Ipswich face leaders Leicester on Boxing Day and if results go Leeds' way over the next two games then the gap could be cut from ten points to four. Leeds have just got to take care of their own business but if teams around them are dropping points then happy days and there's your Christmas present right there heading into the games over the new year. That would give everyone a boost, it would give the crowd a boost. The timing of it could be pretty decent. The sharp end of this is a 13-point gap or even 16 with two defeats and two Ipswich wins. But the wonderful positive end could be four. If it's four then game on.