Leeds United's relegation battle was given a boost by the FA yesterday when they cleared Alan Thompson to play in the last two games of the season.

The midfielder was sent off midway through the first half of Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Southampton for alleged violent conduct.

But the FA Disciplinary Committee accepted that Thompson had only intervened to stop the situation developing and wiped out the automatic one-match ban.

That is great news for boss Dennis Wise, who is already without Jonathan Douglas for the matches against Ipswich and Derby, but he is certain to ask questions if the defeat of ten men at Southampton costs Leeds their Championship place.

Meanwhile, assistant manager Gus Poyet is talking up the team's chances ahead of two of the most important games in the club's history.

Although Leeds will be relegated on Saturday if they lose and Hull beat Cardiff, Poyet said: "I think it is going to go to the last minute of the last game.

"Our objective is to get to 51 points. It's in our mind to win both games and that's what we are going to try to do.

"We have to be strong and score the goals that will win the games."