Simon Grayson believes Leeds United will face less pressure this season as they look to build on last term’s promotion from League One.

Grayson sends his team into npower Championship action against Nigel Clough’s Derby County at Elland Road in this tea-time’s televised contest, hoping for a successful launching pad towards a second successive promotion season.

Yet he is realistic enough to accept it may take a little longer to achieve the Premier League status he and his players crave.

Grayson explained: “We are setting our sights on trying to get into the promised land of the Premiership but there is the realism that finishing halfway in the Championship would be a good season.

“After being in League One for a few years, you want to be consolidating but you also want to reach new heights.

"The aim must always be to improve and get the best out of the players every week. There is pressure on them to take us to the next level, but the pressure won’t be as intense as it has been over the last two or three years.”

Leeds haven’t lost their opening game of a season for 21 years and they’ve started with a win in the last seven campaigns.

The last time Derby visited Elland Road on the season’s opening day, Leeds were 1-0 winners in 2004 with the first competitive goal of Frazer Richardson’s career. Grayson would happily accept that scoreline today.

* United have signed young Manchester City midfielder Adam Clayton on a month’s loan.

Clayton, who has yet to make a first-team appearance for Manchester City, played 36 games on loan at Carlisle last season, scoring three goals, including one against Leeds in the Johnstone’s Paint Northern Area final second leg at Brunton Park in February.

Clayton has six England Under-20 caps.