After impressive under-23 cameo could Leeds United start Barry Douglas at Brenford?

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Leeds United’s defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday has thrown the race for automatic promotion to the Premier League wide open.

Fulham are now level on points with the Whites with Forest a point further back and Brentford, Leeds’ next opponents, a point behind them.

Marcelo Bielsa’s men held an 11-point gap to third place at one point but four defeats in five have seriously harmed their promotion aspects.

Leeds have become a bad team overnight, however, and hard work could see them cement their place once again.

Some changes could be required though. On Saturday, Bielsa’s team featured several square pegs in round holes, particularly in defence, and that must change.

On Saturday Ezgjan Alioski was particularly poor at left-back for Leeds. Forest winger Joe Lolley gave him the runaround and on another day he might have seen red.

The £2 million ace’s chances of keeping his place in the team to face Brentford on Tuesday haven’t been helped this afternoon.

Barry Douglas played for around half-an-hour for the under-23s in their 4-1 win over Bolton and produced a superb assist for Jordan Stevens.

His delicious corner was met at the back post by an unmarked Stevens who fired into the roof of the net.

Balance

Douglas hasn’t featured in any of Bielsa’s last four squads but it’s fair to say he would provide the back four with more balance.

The fact he only played for half-an-hour against Bolton for the under-23s means the £3 million man would be available to play tomorrow in the Championship.

Leeds were all over the shop defensively on Saturday and Bielsa must stop his team conceding soft goals.

What Douglas does bring is a wand of a left foot and he is a player who isn’t afraid to roll up his sleeves when times are tough.

Alioski isn’t a left-back and although he has played lots of games there, it simply isn’t working.

Brentford’s front three are mesmerising and starting Douglas tomorrow could be a step in the right direction towards Leeds arresting their slump.