Boro boss Michael Carrick can spoil Leeds? night (Picture: Getty Images)

Leeds United are in danger of finishing third in a three-horse race after running out of steam at the wrong time in the season.

After taking a mind-boggling 41 points from a possible 45 from New Year?s Day to April Fool?s they have hit the skids and picked up just one point from their last three games.

It means the Whites go into their Monday night examination at Middlesbrough under immense pressure to get their automatic promotion drive back on track.

Victory will send them vaulting into second place, a point behind Leicester and one above Ipswich but having played a game more than both their rivals. They have a superior goal difference to the Tractor Boys, which is a bonus, but face two big tests to close the regular season.
First up is a trip to Loftus Road to face a QPR side who still just about need to look over their shoulder at the wrong end of the table before hosting Southampton on the final day who, as things stand, still have an outside chance of being promoted automatically.

Leeds boss Daniel Farke is feeling the heat (Picture: GES Sportfoto/Getty Images)

Boro are not ideal opponents as they still have a glimmer of hope of reaching the play-offs after a burst of nine games without defeat. Too many have been draws with only five of those matches ending in maximum points, but the stalemates did include shares of the spoils at both Southampton and Ipswich.

Michael Carrick?s side, who m...