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When we beat Leicester 2-1 at Elland Road on Boxing Day, things really couldn't have been going much better. Despite the scoreline, we played some magical football on that particular Sunday afternoon and had it not been for the form of stand-in keeper Arphexad in goal, we would have won by a mile. The victory was our twelfth consecutive home win in all competitions and our seventh in the Premiership. What's more, we were sitting proudly at the top of the Premiership table.

What followed, over the next eight games, was a slump which saw us lose four out of six Premiership games and get knocked out of the FA Cup. Only at the end of February did we pull ourselves together again (a run we're still enjoying) but by then the real damage had been done. Whereas we should have been well clear at the top of the table, we allowed Manchester United to seize the initiative and we've been trying to catch them up ever since.

So what about Sunday's game at Filbert Street. Well...there are no prizes for guessing that Leicester are our bogey team of recent seasons. Despite the Elland Road win and victory at Filbert Street last time round, they have always managed to be a thorn in our sides: knocking us out of the Worthington Cup in the last two seasons on their way to consecutive finals. If there was one team I wouldn't fancy playing after a tough European tie just three days before, then the Foxes would be it.

Having said all that, Leicester haven't been in the best of form themselves since the turn of the year. Although they went on to win the Worthington Cup against Tranmere Rovers, their Premiership form has not been good and their home form (which had seen Filbert Street become something of a fortress) has slipped dramatically. Since our Cup meeting with them, they have suffered home defeats against Derby, Newcastle, West Ham and Manchester United and have fallen to fourteenth in the table. They are certainly safe from relegation but mid table mediocrity would appear to be all they are playing for over the remainder of the season.

In terms of team news, their only major doubt is Gerry Taggart, who has been in inspirational form for them this season and would be a big miss. However, they are still smarting from the loss of Heskey, which places even more pressure on the shoulders of new recruit, Stanley Collymore. Let's hope he doesn't fall over quite as much as his predecessor did the last time we played at Filbert Street. Radebe will no doubt have breathed a huge sigh of relief.

For us, Bowyer is available again following his European suspension. However, he is unlikely to play due to a knee injury. The only likely enforced change from Thursday is Matthew Jones, who has damaged an ankle and remains a doubt, so Hopkin stands by to make a rare start. However, O'Leary may decide to switch things round a bit to ease aching limbs. Huckerby should be straining at the leash and Wilcox has hardly put a foot wrong since his move from Blackburn.

NEEDS REWORDING UNITED'S Premiership title ambitions received a severe set back as once again a trip to Filbert Street ended in a disappointing defeat.

Leeds' midweek excursion into Europe left David O'Leary's side looking jaded and not even the mercurial Harry Kewell could rescue the Whites this time.

The Australian's 16th goal of the season gave Leeds hope after they were rocked by an early strike from Stan Collymore, but sloppy defending gifted Steve Guppy with Leicester's second strike just two minutes into the second half, and that proved conclusive, to leave Leeds seven points behind Manchester United at the top of the table.

The UEFA Cup campaign that has put Leeds within sight of a big European final may prove to be their undoing and with representatives from semi-final opponents Galatasaray watching from the stand, United would have hoped to have impressed the Turkish visitors, who on this show will go away thinking they have a great chance of going to Copenhagen in May.

With Lee Bowyer and Matthew Jones still suffering from injuries, David O'Leary switched Alfie Haaland into midfield, in a formation that showed just the one change from Thursday's UEFA Cup clash with Slavia Prague, Jason Wilcox returning to the starting line-up.

United survived an early scare when Lucas Radebe concede a free-kick 20 yards out for a foul on Darren Eadie. The ball was played to Stan Collymore who struck a sweet shot which Nigel Martyn could only beat out with his fists and Eadie following up struck the loose ball over the bar from six yards out.

Leeds then settled down and put pressure on Leicester, with Alfie Haaland bursting into the area only to be forced wide.

But that good early spell was disrupted as Muzzy Izzet set up Stan Collymore bearing down on goal and he finished clinically past Martyn, high into the roof of the net, to give the Foxes the lead on 14 minutes.

United response was to launch a wave of attacks. Michael Bridges' 20 yard goal bound effort hit Matt Elliott, then Harry Kewell turned well, got goal side, but his right foot shot hit the post and Bridges following in couldn't take advantage.

Ian Harte tried a speculative effort from 25 yards which Leicester keeper Tim Flowers couldn't hold, but there was no Leeds player on hand to fire home the rebound.

The United camp were incensed by a bad challenge on Gary Kelly, but they responded through a fine run by Jason Wilcox, which ended when Taggart just got ahead of Michael Bridges to snuff out the danger for the home side.

But Leicester's relief was short lived as Harry Kewell came up trumps again for the Whites. On 37 minutes the Australian wizard escaped the attentions of Gerry Taggert with a superb piece of skill and then fired through Tim Flowers' legs, for his sixth goal in six games.

Kewell had another chance late on the first half, but in injury time Taggart's lob just dipped over the bar, when it looked for a moment it might restore Leicester's lead.

Collymore's shot hit the side netting early in the second period, but within two minutes of the restart the Foxes took the lead again, when a free kick was played in found Steve Guppy coming in at the far post and he made no mistake with a clinical finish.

Elliott then shot over the bar following a corner, as Leeds were playing catch up again, with the Whites struggling to play at their usual high paced tempo. Harry Kewell tried to ignite Leeds again, but this time hit left foot shot took a deflection and Flowers was able to save.

Leicester boss sent on Tony Cottee for Darren Eadie past the hour mark and only a timely block by United skipper Lucas Radebe prevented the veteran striker scoring with his first touch.

With Michael Bridges struggling with an ankle injury, Darren Huckerby was introduced inside the last quarter, but it was Leicester who had the next chance, Gary Kelly saving Leeds after a great run by Robbie Savage.

Martin's O'Neill's battlers enjoyed the better of the last 15 minutes, with United now looking very tired. Izzet went close to putting Leicester two goals ahead, but the best United could muster was a shot by Ian Harte which flashed past Flowers' post.

Collymore almost rounded things off when his drive flashed over the Nigel Martyn's bar, with Leeds forced back into injury time, but for once David O'Leary's side had run out of ideas.

So it proved another defeat at Filbert Street, the scene of two consecutive Worthington Cup exits, and now United face crucial games against Chelsea and Arsenal in the next three weeks, as they bid to qualify for next season's Champions League.