Midfielder Adam Clayton says he doesn't believe the Christmas period will prove to be a season defining period for Leeds United.

With a Boxing Day trip to Derby County being followed by a New Year's Eve venture Barnsley, two away games offer hopes of a good return ahead of the Elland Road clash with Burnley on January.

"If you come out with nine I suppose you could say it's defining or if we come out of it with none that's another defining route, but overall I don't think it is," said Adam.

"We'll look at each game and look to take as many points as we can from each game.

"We've got to go to Derby and think like we did at Nottingham Forest. We can destroy teams at times, like we did at Forest, not just win but win convincingly, and we can do that.

"Apart from Southampton and Blackpool, and maybe Barnsley for a period I think we've given everyone a run at home and away and if we can keep that up we'll be up there."

United go into the Christmas period in sixth place in the league, on the back of two frustrating performances against Watford and Reading.

"A few of the lads were down after the Reading game," said Adam.

"It's hard to say why things happen for us in those games because before that I thought we put in two great performances against Nottingham Forest and Millwall.

"If that can be our blip it's not the worst you can ever go on, drawing at Watford and losing one at home."