Marcelo Bielsa has every reason to feel "comfortable" with Leeds United's position atop the Championship heading into the second half of this season, says pundit Dean Ashton.
The Whites sit at the summit of the second tier with 20 games to go, ahead of West Bromwich Albion on goal difference after they played out a 1-1 draw with the Baggies at The Hawthorns on New Year's Day.
Bielsa enjoyed warm exchanges with opposite number Slaven Bilic both ahead of kick-off and at full-time, with the result ensuring both sides remain nine points clear of third-place Brentford below them.
That commanding gap gives both sides a head-start entering 2020 in the race for promotion to the Premier League and Ashton believes the pair's mutual affections stem from satisfaction with their key positions.
"[There's] a huge amount of respect," he stated on EFL on Quest. "I think they understood how they sort of cancelled each other out, and the positions that they're in the league.
"Look, this is a tough league, and they'll both know that. I think they'll be pleased with the point, both of them, and they can now really try and push on for the second half of the season."
Further pressed whether he felt Leeds and West Brom, both of whom have only won one game in their last five, remain a cut above the rest of their rivals, Ashton affirmed he believed they were, backing them to succeed with breathing space.
"Yeah, I do," he added. "I think that it's always notoriously difficult, this period, with so many games in a short space of time and the Championship's a difficult league anyway.
"I think they will, with players coming back as well and maybe some signings, I think they'll be comfortable personally."
