A trip to Leeds is what Nicholls needs

Walsall striker Alex Nicholls believes a trip to Leeds could be just what the Saddlers need to shake off their winter woes – and has backed them to beat the odds.

The hosts are unbeaten at Elland Road in over a year – their last defeat coming in a 2-0 reverse to Carlisle in January 2009 – and have conceded just eight league goals at home this season.

In contrast the visitors are struggling for form, having won just once in their last 10 games, slipping into League One limbo in the process.

They have dropped to 12th in the table while Leeds remain in the hunt for the title sitting second, but Nicholls reckons the trip to Yorkshire will inspire the Saddlers.

He said: "We always push them close and last season we beat them. We pushed them close in August and they are beatable. We have to back ourselves to go there and play with a bit of freedom. We're not expected to get anything from there so the pressure is off and we can go out and play.

"They are the places you want to go every week. Anyone who wants to achieve anything wants to go to places like Elland Road and play in front of that many people.

"It's something you want to strive to achieve every week."

The original clash was postponed thanks to Leeds' FA Cup exploits and they have two games in hand over their promotion rivals.

Nicholls expects United to be suffering after their volume of games thanks to runs to the FA Cup fourth round and the Johnstone's Paint Trophy regional final.

He said: "You never know what can happen. You have to look at their FA Cup run, that many games against Premier League teams are going to tire them out.

"They take everything out of you. Who's to say we can't get something out of tonight?"

Walsall could be boosted with the absence of Leeds' top scorer Jermaine Beckford. The striker has a hamstring problem and boss Simon Grayson is likely to only name the 24-goal striker on the bench.

Luciano Becchio and Robert Snodgrass are set to start in his abscence but Nicholls insists the Walsall back four are well equipped to handle any threat.

They have conceded just twice in the last five games and the striker hailed Jamie Vincent's impact, after the left-back moved inside to cover for the injury to Manny Smith.

The striker said: "Jamie, even though he's a left-back, leads the team well. He pulls everyone together and settles people down when they are edgy.

"That's what we've missed this season, we've missed someone with a bit of experience. We have got a really young team so sometimes we need someone to come in, talk and calm everyone down.

"The back four are playing well, we're getting some clean sheets. We haven't conceded many goals in the last couple of weeks and, if you keep a clean sheet, you always have a chance.

"Clayton McDonald has come in and done really well, he's an absolute presence, he cleans everything up at the back."

McDonald should recover from the ankle knock he sustained in Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Oldham while strikers Sam Parkin and Steve Jones (both groin) along with defender Rhys Weston (hamstring) will miss out.

For Leeds, Tresor Kandol (hamstring) Shane Higgs (thigh) and Patrick Kisnorbo (Achilles) are all sidelined for Grayson's side, who won 2-1 at the Banks's Stadium in August's corresponding fixture.

Parkin had fired the Saddlers into the lead 11 minutes from time that night, before Bradley Johnson and Beckford capped Leeds' late show.

The result still rankles with Nicholls – who is eager to put it right.

He said: "It was disappointing they didn't really have a sniff until the last five or 10 minutes. We're a bit bitter because Leeds always seem to be the team to pull results out when they haven't played well."