Why Neil Harris is hoping Leeds United aren't at full strength against Cardiff City

Neil Harris says he hopes Leeds United aren't at full strength this weekend admitting that Marcelo Bielsa's side deserve to be top of the Championship.

The Whites travel to south Wales for a Sunday lunchtime kick-off in Cardiff with both sides seeing their first action since the season was suspended in March due to the coronavirus crisis.

United sit top of the table entering the showdown and had won five games in a row before the hiatus hit the campaign. The Bluebirds themselves defeated Barnsley last time out which was their first victory in five league outings.

Leeds will be without key playmaker Pablo Hernandez in Cardiff with striker Jean-Kevin Augustin also missing the clash while goalkeeper Kiko Casilla remains suspended.

Harris, though, says he hopes United aren't at full tilt for the fixture as he opted to keep his team news under wraps before kick-off.

“I hope they are not at full strength! You always want to gain an advantage," he admitted.

"I am trying to keep things close to my chest. We will see the same from Leeds as well.

“We saw Sheffield United’s team [on Wednesday], that, in my opinion, weakened their team and gave an advantage to the opponent.

“I think that’s going to be the norm for the next three and a half weeks.”

Asked about the absence of Hernandez, he said: "He’s a top player. He’s a super player and his physical output is astounding and a player I admire a lot at the level we play at.”

United sit top and remain seven points clear of third-placed Fulham in the race for promotion ahead of the weekend's games, and the Cardiff boss believes that's exactly where Bielsa's men deserve to be.

“Leeds deserve to be top of the table because of how they’ve been over the course of the season," Harris said.

“They have invested heavily in the setup there so it will be a great test for us. They are regarded as one of the fittest and fastest teams in the division.

“But sometimes you want to put down a marker, but if we play at our best then we have got a chance to put a marker down for the rest of the season.

“We have to focus on ourselves as a small, mini-season. I spoke to the players about hitting the ground running and laying that marker down.

“We have an opportunity to do that on Sunday. We are right at the business end of the season.”