It’s that time of the season where opposition teams fighting for the same prize – take Leeds United and Sheffield United for instance – tend to take that little bit more notice of how their rivals are getting on.
While Leeds United were coming from behind to beat Sunderland on Monday night – forget ‘Fergie Time’, this was ‘Farke Time’ at Elland Road – Pascal Struijk’s stunning 95th minute winner left mouths agape and hands plastered to heads a few miles south in the Steel City.
Had the Black Cats hung onto the lead given to them by Wilson Isidor, Leeds have been linked with the Sunderland striker this week interestingly, then Sheffield United would have been the team at the summit ahead of next week’s proverbial title-decider between the two Yorkshire rivals at Bramall Lane.
Blades boss Chris Wilder tuned in to watch Farke’s inspired second-half substitutions secure three invaluable Leeds points; Joe Rothwell twice crossing for Struijk to bullet home.
Now, Wilder is long enough in the tooth to know that these things can happen in a gruelling promotion battle. His Sheffield United side scored so many dramatic winners during their successful 2019 charge, securing automatic promotion while sandwiched between Daniel Farke’s Norwich City and Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds.
Chris Wilder shares Sheffield United reaction to Leeds win
Wilder expects more twists and turns along the way. There are thirteen matches still remaining and 39 points to play for.
But Leeds, after delivering what is usually described as a ‘Hallmark of Champions’ performance last time out, may take some stopping.
“[There are] different challenges all the way through, and you’ve got to overcome them,” Wilder tells the BBC’s Blades Heaven podcast. “Leeds United overcame a very good team on Monday night.
“We were all watching it. Everybody was impressed in terms of the quality of the game and impressed by how they came back late on to win a tight game.”
The nature of the victory may have been somewhat smash-and-grab – Struijk netting an unexpected brace with goals in the 78th and 95th minutes – but few would argue that they didn’t deserve it.
Wilder admits Leeds deserved to beat Sunderland at Elland Road
As Daniel Farke was keen to point out at full-time, Leeds dominated Sunderland in the possession stakes – 66 per cent in total – while also mustering 21 shots to the visitor’s six.
It was their never-say-die spirit and their ability to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, however, which left the biggest impression on Wilder.
“They had possession, they had more opportunities, more shots, but they still had to get the points,” says Wilder, who earned promotions at the helm of Oxford and Northampton Town before taking his beloved Sheffield United from the third-tier to the Premier League in the space of just three seasons.
“This is why the best teams are at the top of the division. Leeds United are not fortunate to have won the amount of games they’ve won.”
Still, a defeat on the road in Sheffield next Monday will see Leeds slip to second place, leapfrogged by Wilder and co.
Secure a potentially season-defining win, however, and Leeds will start to see the Premier League looming on the horizon.
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