Where Leeds United need to shop for next Raphinha and hope against Europe's best - Tony Dorigo

Not just that but Manchester City are probably the champions-elect as well. Both games are going to be very, very difficult. But I think it's very important that we approach this second part of the season with confidence and really try to push on and get results.

Strangely, when we have played against the good sides this season we have actually played very well. Clearly, it's going to be difficult and we certainly look like we need some sort of reinforcements in January. If you look back at what we have spent in the three previous January windows it's zero, zero and not very much. It's difficult to buy the right players but obviously financially you need to have quite a bit of money as well.

I think the January window is going to be key to how we approach the second half of the season but it's vital that we get off to a flyer against these two very good sides in City and Newcastle this week. If we can get something from these games I think that will be a positive.

Erling Haaland is a shorter price to score a hat-trick than Leeds are to win against City which is quite astounding. But that guy is a goal machine. I must admit, I sometimes think about playing against him and then I think, you know what, I am quite happy just talking about him because he looks very, very difficult. But it's not only him and that's the thing.

Everyone looks at Haaland but he still needs service. But when you have got the likes of Kevin De Bruyne in your side you are going to make chances. I think they are the best team in Europe, I really do. They have a wonderful squad and now they have added Haaland to it. We know it's going to be difficult.

Is there ever a good time to play City? I'm not so sure. But when you have had this sort of break and players away in the World Cup as well, you can't tell me that's the best preparation. It's not. If there is ever a good time, maybe this is it.

But whilst you can easily look at the opposition all the time, I always like to really concentrate on ourselves and it's important that we have a good understanding of what we are doing and that we do well, that we don't make mistakes and that we show grit and determination to get a result. If you put all that together then whatever the result is, you've then got something to go forward with, whoever you're playing.

Yes, it's going to be difficult. We know we are not going to have much possession, we know we are going to have to do everything right and we are going to need a little bit of luck here and there. Then we might get something from the game. But that's not to say that we're going to get absolutely smashed, not at all. We have got to play that 90 minutes and really get something from it.

If you are talking about the pools and what the score is going to be, we know that everyone is going to go for Manchester City. But surely they did exactly that when we played at the Etihad and we won 2-1 and surely they will have done that when Chelsea came to town. Things can happen although we know it's an uphill task.

As a player looking back, I'm not sure I played against a team that were this much overwhelming favourites. But for sure I came up against really really good sides and I looked at it as a chance to really impress and show how good you are. If you're playing against the likes of the teams at the bottom and you do well then people can say 'it's against the big ones that you want to do well against'