Leeds could tonight find themselves outside League One’s top two for the first time since August.

United lead third-placed Millwall on the slenderest of goal differences but the Lions have home advantage against Brentford this evening and anything other than defeat would lift them above Leeds into second.

After three successive defeats, Simon Grayson’s men badly need a win against tomorrow’s visitors Swindon, who trail them by just a point.

And Grayson has made a timely rallying call to the fans to turn Elland Road back into a proverbial fortress for the final four home matches of the season.

“I want our place to have an intimidating atmosphere for the last four games – the same positive feeling we had around the place in the first half of the season,” he said.

“All I would ask of the fans is that they keep backing the players. They have been excellent all season but maybe we just need a little bit more from them.

“Everybody knows it is easy to back a team when they are winning – our fans have been there for us, win or lose – but when we are losing they have to be a little bit more patient with the players.

“This isn’t a Winston Churchill-type speech. It is just a bit of realism about what we are trying to achieve and how the fans can help us achieve it. I want to turn Elland Road back into a fortress again.

“Everybody is trying to do the best they can to get us out of this division. I expect the players to have a really good go.

“When players and fans join forces, opposing teams over many years have found it difficult to come here.”

Memories are still vivid of United’s miserable 3-0 defeat at Swindon in January. The performance was described by Grayson at the time as “unacceptable” and he accused some players of believing their own publicity.

Easter traditionally separates the men from the boys and Grayson needs maximum points from tomorrow’s game and Monday’s trip to Yeovil, which kicks off at 12.30 for the Sky cameras.

Winger or striker Sanchez Watt, 19, could make his debut at some stage against Swindon, having joined United on loan from Arsenal last week.

Tresor Kandol starts a four-match ban after his dismissal at Norwich last week and although Luciano Becchio has not yet been ruled out, he is unlikely to play after swallowing his tongue at Carrow Road.

Gary McSheffrey and Aidan White missed the Norwich game through injury and look set to miss out again.