Keep calm, go unbeaten for the rest of the season and march on together!

That’s Leeds United manager Simon Grayson’s plea ahead of tomorrow’s home contest with Gus Poyet’s Brighton.

Losing their undefeated home record in Coca-Cola League One was a bitter pill for Leeds to swallow against Walsall on Tuesday night and Grayson admits the players were more subdued than normal when they reported for training yesterday.

The manager was hugely critical of the performance against the Saddlers but he says there is nothing to be gained from dwelling on that game, and Brighton’s visit offers a quick opportunity to put things right.

“How we played was disappointing but it has been put to bed,” he said. “We will learn from the experience, try to respond in a positive manner and do the things that made us so successful in the first half of the season.

“It’s good that we have a game straightaway. After the home defeat against Carlisle last year we went 26 home league games undefeated, which is some record, and we will now try to go back on another run by remaining unbeaten for the rest of the season.

“We have 62 points with 16 games left, and any team that reaches the nineties won’t be too far away from automatic promotion, but we will just concentrate on trying to win as many matches as possible.

“I understood the fans’ frustration after the defeat the other night but we are all in it together – fans, staff and players. We have to stay calm, back each other, come through this and, as the old saying goes, march on together.”

Poyet was Dennis Wise’s popular right-hand man at Leeds before leaving for a coaching role at Tottenham and later taking charge at Brighton.

Grayson said: “Just because Brighton are at the wrong end of the table it doesn’t mean we are guaranteed the three points.

"Gus will have them organised, looking to escape the bottom four and put us under pressure. He will enjoy coming back to Elland Road for the first time but we need to be focussed on our own game and respond to our defeat against Walsall.

“Gus had a good time here with Dennis Wise, but his sole aim will be to try and take three points off us.”

Patrick Kisnorbo and Tresor Kandol are close to a comeback after injury but Ben Parker and keeper Shane Higgs are not yet ready to be considered.