Remaining the only unbeaten side in the Football League is a greater motivation for Leeds United’s players at Millwall on Saturday than avenging last season’s play-off semi-final defeat.

That’s the view of manager Simon Grayson, who is playing down the revenge factor.

It’s just five months since the Lions won 1-0 against Leeds in the first leg at The New Den and drew 1-1 at Elland Road before losing to Scunthorpe in the play-off final.

Elimination was a crushing blow to Grayson’s men but the boss said: “I don’t think the lads feel they have a score to settle.

“It was a disappointing couple of games against Millwall and people can talk about revenge if they want but it is just another game for us.

“I think the players will use the defeat as motivation to turn it round this time but their biggest motivation is to remain the only unbeaten team in the country by five o’clock on Saturday night, regardless of who they’ve just played.

“They were very disappointed to miss out in the play-offs but from the start of this season they treated that experience as something they didn’t want to go through again. To a man, our aim is automatic promotion.”

Goalkeeper Casper Ankergren, who angrily complained after being confronted by a couple of Millwall fans who invaded the pitch at The New Den last May, is expected to play, with first-choice Shane Higgs suffering a recurring thigh injury which forced him off against Norwich on Monday night.

The Dane could face a hostile reception but Grayson added: “The two culprits won’t be there because they were banned by Millwall from attending future games.”

On-loan Sam Vokes is again expected to partner Jermaine Beckford in attack, while Patrick Kisnorbo could return in defence on recovery from jet-lag and the virus he collected on international duty with Australia.

However, Andy Robinson, Luciano Becchio, Rui Marques and Ben Parker are all still sidelined.

Grayson added: “It will be a very intense atmosphere. We know what they are like and the rivalry between the teams but it is all about what we try to do.

“We have a really level-headed group who haven’t allowed themselves to get carried away by the run they are on. It is important that when we do lose a match we don’t get too disappointed by it.

“We are top of the division but we are well aware that we are only a few points clear of the third and fourth-placed clubs, so we are there to be shot at. You can’t rule anybody in or out for promotion at this early stage.

“We had to give ourselves a good start because there is pressure playing for Leeds and you can’t take your eye off the ball. We have no God-given right to go up.”