Noel Whelan insists that Garry Monk must now lift his Leeds United players after their playoff hopes took a big knock with a 2-1 loss at Burton Albion.
Leeds knew heading into the fixture at the Pirelli Stadium that if they won their remaining three league games they would be guaranteed a spot in the Championship playoffs.
But Leeds came up short and in the worst possible twist, saw playoff rivals Fulham and Sheffield Wednesday both win, meaning reaching the top six is now out of the Whites' hands.
Whelan stressed that Leeds can still make the playoffs so should keep fighting – and he insisted that Monk must now make sure he lifts his players.
"Leeds were deflated at full time. You could see how disappointed they looked – because they know how close they were. Leeds have lost the chance to define these playoffs – you have to leave the pitch with no regrets, and I'm not sure any players will", Whelan said on BBC Radio Leeds.
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"It's about keeping the pressure on other teams now.
"It's about Monk to lift them.
"It isn't over yet – there is still a fighting chance, and Leeds are in a position of relying on others now", he added.
Leeds will now be looking to take all three points from their next fixture, which sees free-scoring Norwich City make the trip to Elland Road.
The Whites won the earlier fixture between the two teams 3-2 at Carrow Road in November.
