A glamorous, nothing-to-lose trip to face Arsenal in the FA Cup could not have come at a better time for Leeds after a poor Christmas period ended with their unbeaten run hitting the buffers at Cardiff.

A three-point haul from four games was not what fans expected after watching their side dismantle Championship leaders QPR and the display against out-of-form Cardiff was especially disappointing.

United manager Simon Grayson tried to put a brave face on it but he was clearly dismayed by the return of poor defending.

Outplayed in the first half, Leeds were lucky to go in at half-time only one goal behind.

But having equalised through Robert Snodgrass and jangled Cardiff’s delicate confidence, they should have gone on to win.

Instead they conceded a second sloppy goal that had Grayson wringing his hands.

He said: “We conceded from a short corner and from a long ball over the top. They were both goals we could have cut out. We switched off and it cost us a point – and maybe all three.

“We should have had more points over the Christmas period but no team has got what it wanted and we are not going to beat ourselves up about it.

“Our good run started at Scunthorpe and that’s who we meet next in the league, so we’ll look to go again.”

At least Grayson will not have any problem raising spirits for the next outing on Saturday at the Emirates, where Leeds will be hoping to do to Arsenal what they did to Manchester United last season.

The Leeds boss admitted: “It is a big game for us and everyone wants to play in it. We will go there to enjoy it and see where it takes us.”