The Yorkshire-based club have had a poor start to their Premier League season, sitting 17th in the table with three points and failing to register a single win in five matches.
Former Leeds star Prutton is aware of the Whites’ injury struggles and pointed out how they had several players unavailable for their trip to Newcastle United on Friday.
Looking on the positive side of things, the former midfielder explained that Leeds still have plenty of games to turn things around before the end of the season.
However, Prutton went on to warn Leeds against getting too comfortable with the fact that there are 33 more matches left in the season and insisted that doing so could be dangerous.
“Defensively, Leeds had personnel not available and last season we saw them put together a defence with players playing slightly out of position but doing perfectly well to manage that“, Prutton wrote in his Yorkshire Evening Post column.
“That can work in small doses but that can’t be a season-long approach.
“Leeds still have only three points and have plenty of players out injured but there are plenty of games left.
“But the danger comes with being too comfortable and thinking there are loads of games left.
“Suddenly you get into December and think ‘blimey that has gone quickly and look where they are’.“
Prutton recalled Leeds having a good run of games against Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United towards the end of last season after they had more or less avoided relegation and explained that the Whites should look to be in a similar situation.
“When you look back at last season, straight away you looked at that run of games in April with fixtures against Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United in succession“, Prutton added.
“But it felt like they had got all the tough stuff done before then anyway.
“It meant that anything they picked up such as the victory at Man City became a wonderful bonus that just put a cherry on the end of the season.
“That’s where they have got to find themselves.“
Leeds host West Ham, who are winless in three consecutive Premier League games, at Elland Road this Saturday and it remains to be seen if they can get their first win of the season against them.
