Why Luton Town will require Leeds United's full attention at Elland Road

The Whites host the Hatters on Tuesday evening at Elland Road on Tuesday.
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Leeds United know more than most how quickly the Championship can bite back and bring you crashing down to earth.

Victory over Fulham felt like a pivotal blow in the race for automatic promotion to the Premier League from Marcelo Bielsa's men at the weekend but you could have been forgiven for thinking otherwise.

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Bielsa - who is always a figure of calm amongst the Elland Road storm - played down the significance of three points against Scott Parker's promotion-chasing Cottagers.

The win saw Leeds leapfrog West Brom into top spot in the Championship and take an eight-point lead over third-placed Brentford with seven games of the run-in to go.

Fulham are now ten adrift of the Whites in fourth - it really was a hammer strike in LS11.

Jack Harrison said post-match that United must keep their heads "screwed on" while the usual charismatic Gjanni Alioski stuck to the party line.

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"There is nothing to celebrate," Alioski said. "These are only numbers. Eight, ten points we are still saying nothing."

Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa at Elland Road.Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa at Elland Road.
Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa at Elland Road.

It is a wise stance to take, especially in a division such as the Championship.

Wigan's Good Friday victory last term - which ultimately all but ended United's automatic hopes - remains fresh in the memory and it is another relegation-threatened outfit who will make the trip to West Yorkshire on Tuesday night.

Luton have responded following the restart to the season by picking up four points from two games - a team who looked certain for an immediate return to League One before the break in play have a lifeline.

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The Hatters, if you discount the three month hiatus, are unbeaten in five outings with their last defeat coming in late February at the hands of Charlton Athletic.

Returning head coach Nathan Jones took charge at Kenilworth Road in May and has given his squad renewed belief as a battling victory at Swansea City - as a mass brawl displayed - shows they think that the fight is on for survival.

Luton are three points from safety, and will come to disrupt the flow of Leeds - much like Cardiff City did on the opening weekend - and have a familiar face in playmaker Izzy Brown pulling the strings behind 12-goal striker James Collins.

Leeds have momentum themselves and on paper should have enough, but football isn't played on paper and this is the Championship - the Hatters will require United's full attention.