Leeds players are sending out defiant messages that they have not given up hope of securing a play-off berth.

United’s recent run of one win in eight games has seen them plunge from automatic promotion hopefuls to needing other clubs to slip up for them to scrape a play-offs place.

Defeat at Crystal Palace on Monday almost certainly sealed their fate of a second season of Championship football.

They must now beat neighbours Burnley, who are also in with a chance of the play-offs, and champions-elect QPR to have any hope of grabbing the final play-off spot.

Former Bantams defender Andy O’Brien acknowledged: “There’s not a lot to say after Monday. We were flat afterwards – but that’s the same whenever you lose.

“We’ve not won enough games recently and that’s why we find ourselves out of the play-offs.

“But we’ll remain positive and stick together. We’ll keep scrapping. We won’t give up until it’s mathematically impossible.”

Leeds midfielder Bradley Johnson agreed that the odds are stacked against the Elland Road club.

“All we can do is pull our sleeves up and get six points from the last two games and hope it works out,” he said.

“We owe that to the manager, we owe it to ourselves and we want to do it for the fans.”

Johnson insists he will not be wondering what United’s rivals are doing on Saturday.

He said: “There’s no point worrying about other teams. We need them to slip up but it won’t matter what they do if we don’t get six points from these games.

“It’s not all over. Other clubs have difficult games, just like ourselves. There’s enough time for things to change and we won’t be giving up.”