Leeds host promotion rivals Millwall tonight with manager Simon Grayson convinced his players can cope with the pressure.

Second-placed Leeds are eight points behind leaders Norwich and four ahead of Charlton and Swindon, with Millwall in fifth place a further two points adrift.

Inconsistency is a genuine concern as Grayson’s men go into their last ten matches but a win tonight would provide a huge psychological boost, while severely damaging the Londoners’ prospects of automatic promotion.

Millwall knocked United out of the play-offs at the semi-final stage last term and were 2-1 winners in the league at the Den in October.

Yet Grayson remains upbeat and said: “We have had pressure on us because we started as the bookies’ favourites but we have dealt with it for large parts of the season.

“Pressure is building on teams all over the country just now for different reasons, whether it is to gain automatic promotion, get into the play-offs or avoid relegation.

“Some players are playing for their futures and there’s more pressure on managers now because they tend to get sacked quicker these days. That’s why you have to remain calm.

“I would like to think we are a better team than when Millwall knocked us out of the play-offs.

“There is a lot riding on the game. They are on a good run and the 4-0 win against Charlton was a great result for them but at Elland Road we’ve played them twice since I came here and we’ve won one and drawn one.”

Grayson says the timing of his squad’s visit to an army barracks at Strensall, near York, last Monday had no bearing on tonight’s ‘battle’ with Millwall or the defeat at Southampton. The United players joined in rifle shooting, problem solving and tyre racing as well as tackling the assault course.

Grayson said: “It was the only free week we had to go to Strensall. It was arranged two or three weeks before the defeat at Southampton.

“The players might have worked a little bit harder on the assault course than if we had won at Southampton but it was something we had been looking to do for a long time.

“It was good to get away from the training ground. The players had a laugh and a joke with each other and one or two got into some very uncompromising positions but the rest of the lads got them through it.

“There was plenty of banter flying around that day and it was the same on Tuesday when we returned to training. It is something we will be looking to do again, whether it is this season or next.”

West Yorkshire Police have warned they will be seeking banning orders for any fans who cause trouble before, during or after tonight’s match, which is being televised by Sky Sports.

Tresor Kandol, who spent six months on loan to Millwall last season, will not be fit in time to face the Lions tonight due to a tight hamstring.

Fellow striker Mike Grella is also ruled out again with a hamstring problem but Gary McSheffrey has recovered from a head wound which required stitches at Southampton.

Max Gradel is pushing strongly for inclusion after scoring a hat-trick for the reserves in midweek.