Can Leeds storm the Palace on Mission Impossible?

The tantalising sniff of a rare away three points haul at Leicester on Tuesday has left Leeds fans with renewed hope as they travel to London for the clash with Crystal Palace. The Eagles have been soaring recently and will provide a stern test for Warnock's newly found settled starting eleven. Ian Holloway has inherited a talented squad and has made good use of them since his arrival at Selhurst Park guiding them into a strong play off position just 2 points behind Udinese in 2nd spot.

So what logic suggests Leeds can take three points from the Eagles nest and prolong their interest in that coveted 6th play off spot? Well for a start Leeds have picked up some momentum over the last four games despite their very average finishing in front of goal. Add to that a back five who now have a look of togetherness and steel that seems strange for a Leeds United defence. Clearly the late goals that were conceded at Leicester, Boro and Wolves confirm this is work in progress but signs of the green shoots of recovery in this department are clear to see. So all we need to do to beat Palace is not concede a late goal and improve our finishing. Simples!

Realistically we are in Mission Impossible territory again as we enter the last eleven games of the Championship season. With six home games to come and five away from Elland Road it will be the away form that will decide how long the play off fuse will burn. Convert three of the away trips into wins, as many as we've managed all year, is the Herculean task Leeds need to achieve if they are to gate crash the play offs. It is still a long, long shot for Warnock's warriors.

Away from Planet Leeds this week the rest of the football world seemed to be preoccupied with Nani's sending off in the Manure v Madrid CL quarter final. Sir Alex Rednose was too distraught to face the after match press conference. Presumably he was furious that some unknown referee had the nerve to send one of his players off despite the fact that technically Nani had committed a red card offence. The thousands of Manure "fans" were so incensed that they got out of their armchairs and danced around their living rooms in rage. One knobhead actually rang 999 to report the incident as a crime.........from his house in Nottingham! For me the most amusing bit was the continual stream of distraught Manure fans ringing Five live to explain how unfair the decision was.....................not surprisingly none of them seemed to focus on the fact that they were a goal up and had the advantage of an away goal when the "travesty of justice" happened. The referee didn't score two goals Madrid did or more to the point Manure couldn't hold onto what they had. That's why they lost.

So this weekend is birthday weekend for both yours truly and the Quiet One. Hopefully we will be celebrating a precious three points as well as another year lost to the sands of time at the final whistle on Saturday? If we are then Mission Impossible will be well and truly burning bright for Leeds United.  Or will Crystal Palace be a Bridge Too Far? Time will tell.

Can't wait.

MOT.