Championship play-off winner poses major Leeds United question amid 'unrivalled' advantage

Ex-Leeds United defender Danny Mills believes the Whites will book their place at Wembley this evening if they can handle the pressure of tonight's occasion. Daniel Farke's side stumbled as the nerves kicked in towards the end of the regular Championship season and after winning just one of their last six games, they missed out on automatic promotion.

However, they turned in a resolute showing on Sunday as they played out a 0-0 draw with Norwich City in the first leg of their play-off semi-final and that sets them up perfectly to kick on this evening at Elland Road. It promises to be a special atmosphere under the lights and Leeds are the favourites with the bookmakers to progress to within 90 minutes of promotion.

Such a position comes with expectation, though, and Mills says their ability to deal with it could be the difference between success and failure.

"It's difficult," Mills told Talksport. "I said at the very beginning of this, probably about 10 games ago, it's who can handle the pressure the best.

"Elland Road is one of the best atmospheres that I've played in when it’s rocking. When the lights are on, evening games, and you're playing well, the atmosphere is second to none. It's an old school ground, it's tight and it’s unrivalled at times. But that comes with added pressure.

"When you're not playing particularly well and you're not winning at half-time you can get a few moans and groans when it's not quite going your way. This is all about can Leeds deal with the pressure. They struggled a little bit towards the end of the season but their home form has been great, Norwich's away form has been terrible, everything points to a Leeds win.

"But I’ve seen Leeds in the play-offs before, Marcelo Bielsa against Derby, in a couple of minutes it can all fall apart very quickly. It's about who handles the pressure. It will be a fantastic atmosphere, Leeds are close, I just hope they don’t crumble."

Get a personalised Leeds United news round-up when you sign up for our free Leeds United newsletter email. Mills has experience of success in the play-offs, having won promotion to the Premier League with Charlton Athletic in 1999. As such, he knows all about the mindset required to emerge victorious and he is urging Leeds to keep their cool even if things don't necessarily go their way.

"It's such an old cliché but you've got to play the game and not the occasion, you can't get wrapped up in trying to win the game in the first 10-15 minutes," he added. "All the best teams stick to the game plan.

"There has to be a contingency. What if you go 1-0 down, what if someone makes a mistake or there's a bad decision or a penalty, you have to have contingency but you have to believe in what you're doing. You finished third in the league for a reason and almost won automatic promotion for a reason. You've just got to play your way and hopefully those special players come up with that moment to send Leeds into the play-off final."