Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe does not believe his players are suffering from any type of end of season fatigue and are in a "great place" going into the four-game Champions League shoot-out.
In recent weeks, commentators and pundits have spoken of fatigue and tiredness at the end of a long campaign, made longer by the mid-season World Cup break. But Howe is pleased with where his players are physically going into the crunch period.
Howe told Chronicle Live: "With these things, I am never a big believer in fatigue. Unless it gets rammed down your throat, you don't feel fatigued.
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"The way that we train, we try to get the players to peak on a match day. So there's a process behind how we train and a thought process behind getting players in peak physical condition.
"Yes there have been a lot of games this season and we are coming towards the end of a tough year. We are coming to the time of year when the sun begins to shine and everybody feels a little bit different."
United have been able to train in warm weather for the most part in the build-up to the trip to Leeds. And Howe feels this has been an added bonus for his squad.
Howe said: "The sunshine refreshes the players. I have no doubt in the last four games we are in a great place and we are ready to give our best in these games.
"You look at the Arsenal game and what we gave in that match I don't think there's any fatigue in our players."
Newcastle take on a Leeds team who are already on to their third manager of the season in Sam Allardyce after Jesse Marsch and Javi Gracia. When it was suggested Leeds are in such a precarious position because they have chopped and changed compared to Newcastle's consistency under the new owners, Howe said: "Sitting here with a manager's head on you want continuity, you want time. But every club will do what's right for them."
