Paynter future in balance despite brace

Striker Billy Paynter is not guaranteed to be at Leeds next season despite belatedly proving his worth against Peterborough, according to manager Neil Warnock.

Paynter scored his first two Elland Road goals as United saw off Peterborough 4-1, laying to rest a home drought that has existed ever since he signed from Swindon in the summer of 2010. He had scored just once in 26 appearances prior to Saturday's game but, despite affording Paynter a standing ovation when he substituted him with a minute left, Warnock, who has promised major summer surgery to the squad he inherited from Simon Grayson, could not promise the forward would still be at the club come August. "I don't get carried away, nothing has changed my opinion on what I need," Warnock said. "I haven't got a clue (if Paynter will stay). I don't think anyone can tell me who is going to be involved but I think you would be an idiot if you wanted to leave. "But I was pleased for Billy. He did ever so well. He's been like that in training and that's why I played him. It was a good opportunity, he's been shining in training and I thought: 'To hell with it'. Warnock, who saw Paynter and Ross McCormack bag braces after Leeds fell behind to Joe Newell's opener, added: "I told him at half-time that he deserved his goal and he said: 'Really gaffer? I thought I should have had a hat-trick', and he could."