Pascal Struijk highlights the one thing holding Leeds United back in Championship promotion race

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Daniel Farke may have lost Ethan Ampadu to injury but he will be delighted to have vice-captain Pascal Struijk starting games again.

The Dutch defender has called on his side to win games more comfortably for the remainder of the 2024/25 Championship season following their draw against West Bromwich Albion at Elland Road.

That result extended the Whites’ unbeaten run to 17 games in the league. It keeps them top and eight points ahead of Burnley prior to their clash with Cardiff City on Tuesday evening.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
1	LeedsLeeds	35	22	10	3	72	22	50	76
2	Sheff UtdSheffield Utd	35	23	6	6	50	27	23	73
3	BurnleyBurnley	34	18	14	2	43	9	34	68
4	SunderlandSunderland	35	18	11	6	52	32	20	65
5	CoventryCoventry	35	15	8	12	49	44	5	53
6	West BromWest Brom	35	12	16	7	45	32	13	52

However, Struijk still thinks Leeds can be more ruthless and relentless in their pursuit of glory and the Championship title, as he’s spotted a worrying pattern lately.

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Pascal Struijk makes Leeds admission after Sheffield United and Sunderland victories

Leeds may have been disappointed with a draw on Saturday lunchtime but seven points from nine against three sides inside the top six is not to be sniffed at.

The Whites’ impressive Monday night victories in back-to-back games saw Leeds beat Sunderland and Sheffield United thanks to late goals.

However, that is a habit Struijk is not keen to replicate, with the 25-year-old hopeful that Leeds can put games to bed much earlier than that in the final 11 games of the campaign.

Speaking post-match to LUTV, Struijk praised the character Leeds have shown in recent weeks, saying: “I feel like that shouldn’t be a general thing. The fact that it happens is really good from us, it shows that we are ready and fit, 90 minutes long.

“But the quicker we can finish games off the better for us. I think the fact that we went up 1-0 was really good but a little bit unfortunate that we gave it away after.”

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The mentality of Daniel Farke’s Leeds side cannot be questioned

After a collapse last season, Daniel Farke and Leeds have flipped that narrative on its head as they are projecting a points total which could rival the highest points tally in Championship history.

In many ways, late goals are significant in what they represent; it highlights Leeds’ never-say-die attitude in games, their sheer willingness to win, and a feeling of inevitability in the Championship.

It’s also a testament to their fitness levels and the strength of their bench as well, which could be a crucial factor in many games during the 11-game run-in.

Even if, on paper at least, the Whites appear to have a kinder fixture schedule than their automatic promotion rivals. But, as we know in the second tier, anything can happen, and it usually does.