Leeds United

Mid-season report: Leeds

By Jack Prescott, Rugby Editor | 03 January 2012

Leeds will be hoping that this is the year that they return to the Premier League. Sports Mole looks at how they've fared up to December.

Once again, Leeds United are amongst the teams all vying for a coveted spot in the Premier League.

While emphatic wins have seen them rise to just below the playoff places, surprise defeats threaten to de-rail their promotion chances.

Sports Mole has a look at how the famous Yorkshire club have fared up to December.

August

In a tough opening month of fixtures, the campaign started badly with successive league defeats against Southampton and Middlesbrough.

They soon found their winning touch with an emphatic 4-1 win at home to Hull City before a hard-earned 2-2 draw with West Ham United at Upton Park.

However, the month ended with a 2-1 defeat at Ipswich Town.

September

The following month saw Simon Grayson's side go unbeaten as they recorded wins against Crystal Palace and Bristol City.

One of the more memorable games of the season so far came at the Amex Stadium and their 3-3 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion, with Ross McCormack grabbing a 92nd minute equaliser.

October

United picked up 11 points from a possible 18 in October to keep up their promotion charge.

Victory came against Portsmouth, Doncaster Rovers, and an entertaining 3-2 win at Peterborough.

The Yorkshire club drew 1-1 with Coventry City, while a 1-0 defeat at Birmingham City and 1-1 draw with Cardiff City completed the month.

November

November was marked by the tragic news that former player Gary Speed had died after he was found hanged in his Cheshire home.

Back on the pitch, Leeds were given a stark wake-up call as they were thumped 5-0 by Blackpool at Elland Road.

A hard-earned 1-0 win at Leicester got them back to winning ways, before Robert Snodgrass' late winner saw them beat Burnley 2-1 at Turf Moor.

Unfortunately their promotion push suffered another setback in the following game as Barnsley pulled off a shock 2-1 away win.

However, they comfotably beat Nottingham Forest 4-0 at the City Ground to end the month with nine points from 15.

December

A 2-0 win against Millwall and Robert Snodgrass' late penalty in their 1-1 draw at Watford saw Leeds begin December in confident fashion.

Their 1-0 home defeat to Reading exposed many of their incosistencies, while a frustrating 1-0 loss at Derby County exposed many of the cracks in their armour.