Leeds United could have made it three league wins in succession to begin the calendar year, a feat they have not achieved since the days of Don Revie.
However, Jonjo Shelvey's free-kick had other ideas, downing the Whites by a goal to nil at Elland Road against Newcastle United.
Looking ahead to the remainder of the season, Leeds have 17 matches between now and the end of May.
Their next contest will take place on February 9, when the team visit Villa Park to face Steven Gerrard's Aston Villa.
The Midlands club have made a promising start to life under the ex-Rangers boss and former Liverpool captain, adding the likes of Philippe Coutinho in the transfer market amid links to Juventus' Rodrigo Bentancur.
While Leeds are not expected to be especially active during the final week of the winter transfer window, the club can use the final week of January and first eight days of next month to rest, reset and recalibrate.
The team have been playing catch-up for most of the season; Leeds' repeated injuries have meant even multiple players returning at once has been offset by further absentees.
Last weekend, Tyler Roberts, Joe Gelhardt and Diego Llorente all returned to the fold, but the net gain of available players remained at one due to injury for Adam Forshaw and Junior Firpo.
Thankfully, Forshaw predicts he will be back in action for the Villa encounter. Nevertheless, the next two weeks will be a welcome reprieve for players and medical staff working and rehabbing around the clock so far this season.
Despite the likes of Charlie Cresswell, Jamie Shackleton, Kalvin Phillips, Liam Cooper and the aforementioned Forshaw and Firpo still sidelined through injury, it is a Leeds United player currently uninjured who will likely benefit most from this two-week window with no fixtures.
This season, Stuart Dallas has missed just 12 minutes of Premier League action for Leeds, featuring in every single game so far.
During 2020/21, Dallas was absent for just nine minutes of league action, too, meaning since promotion the Northern Irishman has spent 5,289 minutes of a possible 5,310 on the pitch for Leeds United in the Premier League.
For an outfield player, competing in one of Europe's most demanding teams, this record is quite stunning. Few players across the top level of professional football compare to Dallas' staggering level of omnipresence.
The 30-year-old's longevity and availability has long since been one of his greatest qualities, but put into perspective, it is all the more commendable.
Dallas contracted COVID-19 earlier this season, whilst also battling with the sudden loss of a close personal friend. Unlike most other professions, the Leeds man spent little time away from Thorp Arch, missing no competitive fixtures for the Whites.
Marcelo Bielsa has claimed in a recent press conference, his versatile full-back-stroke-central-midfielder often soldiers on with injuries that would rule other players out.
"Dallas is a player that plays every week with something that would probably rule another player out, Ayling the same," the manager said prior to the 3-2 win over West Ham United.
Dallas' dedication does not, and has not, gone unappreciated by the Leeds faithful. He is highly-regarded among the fanbase for his exploits.
There is hope that a two-week period in which he will be spared from any competitive action, Dallas can recapture his best form of last season.
Bielsa also opined earlier this month on the need for adequate rest: "I have the feeling that the high dosage of rest is the most important thing at this stage of the season."
Above all, there have been no complaints from the Northern Irish international who has now made over 250 appearances for the Whites.
His professionalism has been commended time and time again, but adulation aside, after appearing in 99.6% of Leeds United's available league minutes over the past two seasons, what he has perhaps craved most is these two weeks.
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