Crystal Palace 1 Leeds 0

Crystal Palace took a huge stride toward securing their Championship status with a win against play-off hopefuls Leeds at Selhurst Park.The home side made the perfect start when Neil Danns' shot deflected in off Andy O'Brien of Leeds after 80 seconds.From the only other chance of a drab first half, Palace's Jermaine Easter headed a Nathaniel Clyne cross wide.Palace survived heavy Leeds pressure in the second half and ended with 10 men after Danns was sent off.It was a bitter end to the game for the midfielder, but sweetened by the crucial three points he had played a major part in earning.With Scunthorpe losing 2-1 at home to Millwall and Doncaster drawing 2-2 at Barnsley, the result leaves Palace six points clear of the relegation zone with two games to play, and a vastly superior goal difference to 22nd-placed Sheffield United.
For Leeds, defeat is a major blow to their hopes of securing the final play-off spot and they now trail sixth-placed Nottingham Forest by three points.In addition the two teams directly above them - Millwall and their next opponents Burnley - are a point better off than Leeds.The game had barely settled when Danns unleashed a fierce drive from the edge of the area that flew through a melee of players and beat Leeds keeper Kasper Schmeichel.However, despite the lively start and what was at stake, the game descended into a tepid affair with neither side producing much in the final third, barring Easter's miscued header just before the break.

Leeds manager Simon Grayson made two changes at half-time - Neil Kilkenny and Sanchez Watt replacing Jake Livermore and Paul Connolly - to positive effect.The visitors created far more in the second-half with Watt and late substitute Davide Somma going close from long range.But Palace dug and, despite Danns' late dismissal for two yellow cards, they held on for a vital win.

Derby v Leeds MATCH PREVIEW

Derby County are assessing the fitness of defender Dean Leacock, who suffered cramp during his comeback from injury against Coventry on Saturday.Left-back Gareth Roberts is still out with a knee problem, but Russell Anderson and Miles Addison are options for boss Nigel Clough.Leeds pair George McCartney and Sanchez Watt are both in contention to return.Midfielders Barry Bannan and Neil Kilkenny are pushing for recalls to the starting line-up.Leeds' bid for a second successive promotion and a return to the top flight suffered a setback when they were beaten 3-2 by play-off rivals Millwall in a thrilling match on Saturday.
That was Leeds' second defeat in three games and saw Simon Grayson's men slip to sixth in the table, but they are still four points better off than Millwall, who are seventh.With 75 goals scored this season, Leeds are also the Championship's top scorers, and have proved their doubters wrong by sustaining a promotion challenge. The same cannot be said of Derby, who were fourth in December but have slumped towards the relegation zone with a disastrous run of only three wins in 22 league games.The Rams have won only one of their last seven, but took a big step towards safety by coming back from two-down to salvage a draw against Coventry. They are eight points above the drop zone, giving them some breathing space with six games remaining.

LEEDS' WATT SHOULD FEATURE

Leeds striker Sanchez Watt is expected to return to the squad for the home clash with Norwich.

Watt, who turned 20 on Monday, has missed the last three games due to a hamstring problem but rejoined the squad for full training this week and is in contention.

Right-back Paul Connolly is still struggling with a hamstring strain after missing last week's win at Bristol City, so recent loan signing Eric Lichaj will continue after making his debut at the weekend.

Manager Simon Grayson has no new injury or suspension problems but is unlikely to make any unforced changes, so Davide Somma, Billy Paynter and Ross McCormack are expected to start on the substitutes' bench again.

Leeds, unbeaten in five league games, are chasing a third straight win in a bid to leapfrog Norwich in the top six.

Canaries defender Leon Barnett has been ruled out of the rest of the season with a hamstring injury.

Manager Paul Lambert is hoping to add a loan signing to his squad as cover but not in time to face Leeds, so Zak Whitbread will start at Elland Road.

Midfielder Andrew Surman made his return from a long-standing knee injury as a substitute last time out and is an option to start.

The Canaries could go second in the table with a win but have not won at Elland Road since August 1993 - when a brace from Ruel Fox set them on the way to a 4-0 win."It's really, really tough, you have so many obstacles. People don't want to let their better ones out and it's not for the lack of trying - we have tried and hopefully this one will come off."

Watt ruled out of Coventry game

Sanchez Watt has been ruled out of Leeds United's clash with Coventry City, with the injured winger facing another week-and-a-half on the sidelines.
Watt missed Tuesday night's game at Hull City due to a hamstring strain sustained against Portsmouth on January 22, and he will undergo further treatment in the coming days in an attempt to return to contention for United's fixture at Bristol City next weekend.

The on-loan Arsenal youngster saw a specialist last week and was not considered for selection at the KC Stadium, where striker Davide Somma took his starting place and scored United's second goal in a 2-2 draw.

Grayson admitted that Somma's performance – coming on the back of goalscoring outings against Scunthorpe United and Portsmouth – had enhanced his prospects of a second successive start this Saturday, but Watt will play no part against Coventry at Elland Road as Leeds work to resolve his latest injury worry.

Grayson said: "He tweaked his hamstring in the Portsmouth game and he's probably going to be out for another 10 days or so."

Watt had made a positive impression on United's Championship season since joining the club from Arsenal on a year-long loan in August, but his campaign has been riddled by fitness concerns.

An ankle problem sustained in October sidelined him until the turn of the year, and his latest injury has forced him back into the treatment room at a time when the 19-year-old appeared to be returning to prominence within Grayson's squad.

His absence in Hull offered a rare chance to Somma, pictured right, who made his first start since the middle of November and responded by scoring his 10th goal of the season.

Grayson altered an established formation to accommodate the South African international alongside Luciano Becchio up front, and three finishes in his last three league appearances have given Somma a strong
chance of retaining his place this weekend.

Grayson said: "We're got players who can come in and do a job when we need them to and Somma's shown his quality and his eye for goal again.

"We normally play with Luciano up front on his own but I felt that an extra striker would work Hull harder.

"Putting another midfielder in would have been a risk because Neil Kilkenny was only just back from the Asian Cup and I wasn't prepared to start him. Opportunities are there to be taken and Davide's done that again."