Former Liverpool and Blackburn midfielder David Thompson has admitted he would be 'mortified' if Leeds United did not go on to seal promotion this season.
Marcelo Bielsa's men got their season back underway on Sunday, suffering a 2-0 defeat at Cardiff City as they were knocked off the top of the Championship by West Bromwich Albion.
Despite relinquishing top spot, Leeds maintained their seven-point buffer to third-placed Fulham, who visit Elland Road on Saturday.
Eight matches of the season remain for Leeds to ensure that the Cottagers or any other member of the chasing pack overtaken them, with Thompson admitting that he now has the Whites as his 'second team' - and dreads the thought of another late-season collapse.
“I’d be mortified if it happened to Leeds again and Bielsa," he told BBC Radio 5 Live's Daily Podcast.
"I’d be sick for them because the position they’ve been in all season, I want Leeds to go up. They’ve become my second team. By all accounts, today I read the BBC report and they were very unfortunate. I hope it doesn’t happen to them again.”
Thompson was joined by veteran Reading midfielder Charlie Adam, who believes that three points against Scott Parker's side on Saturday should ensure Leeds end their 16-year Premier League exile.
“If they win that, that’ll be them home and hosed," the former Blackpool man said. "Ten points will be enough for them. Leeds will be okay. I think it might help them, this not playing in front of a crowd at Elland Road for some of the players.
"Cardiff are on a fantastic run under Neil Harris since he’s been in there so it is a shock because it’s Leeds and they’ve done so well, been at the top all season, but Cardiff are just outside that play-off position, level on points with Preston, so they look like a team that could maybe push into the play-offs. But for me I think Leeds and West Brom will be the teams to go up.”
