David Prutton has admitted that Leeds United need to learn from last season’s mistakes in the race for promotion, but is backing the Whites to handle the pressure this time around under Marcelo Bielsa.

Leeds fell short in the automatic promotion race in the final four fixtures of last season, before crashing out of the play-offs at the hands of Derby County in May.

Yet, they’ve come out of the traps quickly this season, picking up seven points from a possible nine ahead of this evening’s meeting with Brentford at Elland Road.

Former Elland Road favourite, Prutton, acknowledges that the Whites have lost key personnel in Pontus Jansson and Kemar Roofe, but believes the improved form of Patrick Bamford – who has three goals in three games – is a major plus.

In an exclusive interview with Football League World’s Chief Editor, Sam Rourke, Prutton discussed Leeds’ top-two credentials.

He stated: “I think the reason that we talk about them like that (top-two contenders) is because of the evidence of last season.  

“Yes, you’ve got key players leaving in Pontus (Jansson) and Kemar (Roofe), but they’ve got Bamford going - maybe the introduction of (Eddie) Nketiah has given him a kick up the backside. Some players’ buttons are pushed in different ways.  

“If he becomes the 20+ goal a season striker that Leeds are enamoured with, it’ll certainly keep the naysayers quiet, won’t it?” 

Leeds started last season in similar fashion to this, albeit with a slightly stronger record after three fixtures – having won against Stoke City, Derby County and Rotherham United.

And, of course, their season fell away in the final month, with dramatic play-off scenes leaving Elland Road stunned.

For Prutton, he feels it is going to be about handling that pressure this time around, with every side in the Championship gunning for the Whites’ scalp.

“We know how they (Leeds) can play and what they can achieve, but they’ve got to know every single team will be gunning for them, which makes it fascinating from our point of view," the pundit continued.

“For them, it is whether they can handle the pressure. I think they can, but it is just as they showed over the course of last season, it is all well and good being consistent, but if your key men make the wrong decisions at the key times (your goalkeeper and defender in the most important game of the season), you can’t legislate for that.

“You’ve just got to learn from that and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”