Stephen Warnock has underlined the importance of the Boxing Day clash with Wigan Athletic as Neil Redfearn’s side look to return to winning ways at Elland Road.

Prior to the loss to Fulham earlier this month, United had not suffered defeat on home soil since October and had recorded impressive back-to-back home wins over Blackpool and Derby County.

Warnock, who has captained the side in the last three outings, is now looking to rediscover that form after picking up an encouraging away point at Nottingham Forest last weekend.

"It’s massively important because our home form has been very good, barring the Fulham game," he said of the Wigan fixture.

"We’ve produced some good performances and played some good football at times so we need to hit the ground running in that game and try and get the crowd behind us.

"Hopefully it will be a big crowd behind us who’ll enjoy the game and we’ll get the right result."

For many in the United squad, especially the summer arrivals from Italian football where teams are afforded a winter break, it will be a first taste of the hectic Christmas period in English football.

Warnock said: "I’m well versed to it but you look at the lads who have come in from the Italian leagues – they’re not used to it at all so I think for them it’s a little bit of a culture shock.

"But I think they’ve taken to it quite well and they’ve understood it."

Despite United occupying 18th in the Championship after a mixed season so far, Warnock is optimistic of climbing the league table and believes the club has a bright future with the Academy continuing to produce first-team players.

"You’ve always got to be positive. You can only look up, it’s the only way to be," said the full-back.

"If you start looking down and being negative, you get into that negative mentality and that’s not what we want to do.

"We want to be positive, we want to climb the league and that’s what we feel we can do.

"I think the future’s bright for the club. The Academy is rolling players out left right and centre.

"Cookie is obviously the latest one to come through but there’s a whole host of them playing in the Under-21s that are cracking players and on their way through.

"It’s credit to the way the Academy is set up and the catchment that they’re getting into the club. I think it helps with it being a one-club city that we’re bringing the best in as well."