Alex Bruce says that Adam Forshaw's recent comments may have given West Bromwich Albion and Fulham extra motivation in the race for automatic promotion.

Leeds return to league action after over three months on the 21st of June, as the Whites look to finish what they started and get over the line in their bid for promotion this term.

Marcelo Bielsa's side currently sit top of the Sky Bet Championship table, one point clear of West Brom, and seven points clear of third-placed Fulham, with nine league matches remaining.

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Leeds undoubtedly have a massive chance of securing a long-awaited return to the Premier League this season, then, and Forshaw has recently talked up their chances of doing so.

Forshaw won't play a part in the rest of the season due to a hip problem, but speaking on the Leeds That podcast, he delivered a rather confident message.

Alex Bruce, however, believes that this confident message will put fire in West Brom and Fulham's bellies even more, as they look to close the gap on Leeds.

In an interview with Football Insider, he said: "When you come out and say things like that, it can spur on the opposition.

“I’m sure the West Brom and Fulham lads are thinking: ‘Who’s this fella think he is, saying all this? Let’s go ram his words down his throat.’

“It just gives people added incentive, I think you’re sometimes better keeping your head down and getting on with it – when you’ve got the job done, you can say what you want."

The Verdict

Leeds players cannot afford to get ahead of themselves at this crucial stage of the season.

Nobody knows how players are going to react to returning to action, especially after three months without playing in the Championship and playing in front of an empty stadium.

It only takes two defeats here and there and two wins for Fulham, and they are right back in the mixer again.