Leeds United manager Simon Grayson looks set to continue with his experimental midfield partnership against Walsall at Elland Road tonight.

Bradley Johnson with Neil Kilkenny proved a success in central midfield during the 1-1 draw at Leyton Orient on Saturday and Grayson said: “I thought Bradley and Neil ran the show. They passed the ball well and we played some great stuff at times.”

Grayson has a policy of keeping faith with players who come into the side and do well.

Johnson and Kilkenny were promoted from the bench to the starting line-up at Orient, with Jonny Howson and Micky Doyle making way.

Central defender Patrick Kisnorbo will be absent once more tonight due to the Achilles tendon injury that has kept him out of the last five matches.

Jermaine Beckford has missed two games with a hamstring problem and again faces a fitness check.

United are about to enter an important sequence of games, playing successive home matches against Walsall, Brighton and Oldham as they look to close the gap on Norwich, who are four points clear at the top but have played two games more.