Leed United Facing Tough Test

Leeds United will be bidding to scale an emotional backdrop to tonight’s npower Championship clash at Nottingham Forest to get their promotion drive back on track.Still stunned by the sudden death of former player Gary Speed, Leeds and their Forest hosts will wear black armbands in the player’s memory and there will also be a minute’s applause agreed by Forest before the kick-off. Boss Simon Grayson, who signed professional forms with the Whites 25 years ago on the same day as Speed, said: “Speedo was a true friend and a very, very popular man.

“He was such a popular person and this is a difficult time for everyone.”

Grayson has to try to lift his own spirits and that of a club thrown into mourning by the death, at the age of 42, of Speed.

And he has to also inspire his men to quickly erase the memory of their dispiriting Yorkshire derby defeat at home to Barnsley, which left the Whites totalling a mere two points from their last four games on home turf.

In contrast, Leeds’ spirited away form has been the reason why they remain in fifth place and well among the promotion pack.

Honduran striker Ramon Nunez will be pushing for a start after he came on for the ineffective Sam against Barnsley, while Andy Keogh will seek the same after he replaced Luciano Becchio, whose form has dipped.