Leeds United are preparing for a top-of-the-table clash against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Monday night. A win or a draw for the away side will consolidate their position at the top of the league table while three points for the Blades will take them to the summit of the Championship standings. It’s a high-stakes game for both teams and it has led to some chatter from both sides. Blades boss Chris Wilder has been trying to apply the heat on Leeds by indicating that they are the anointed Championship winners and will be under pressure to get a result in Sheffield. However, he is acutely aware that he and his team will also face the heat if they drop the ball on Monday night.
There is a sense of anticipation about Leeds closing in on securing automatic promotion to the Premier League but it is still not done yet despite all the noise around Elland Road.
Daniel Farke has admitted that 20 more points from their remaining 13 games should get the job done but those points are still need to be won and getting anything out of Bramall Lane on Monday would be a challenge.
Sheffield United have been keeping pace with a Leeds side who have shifted gears in the last few weeks and for that, Chris Wilder deserves credit given all the hype seems to be around the Whites.
Wilder and his men would love it if they could throw a spanner at the Leeds juggernaut on Monday night and the Sheffield United boss has not stopped himself from playing mind games with the Whites all week.
Chris Wilder addresses ‘arrogance’ talk ahead of the Leeds game
Wilder has a proven track record of getting Sheffield United promoted to the Premier League and he is one of the reasons why they have been the favourites since the start of the season.
Sheffield United have been in terrific form ahead of Leeds’ visit to Bramall Lane on Monday night and will fancy their chances of getting a result at home even though Farke’s men look intimidating at this stage of the season.
Farke stressed that there are still far too many games to go before anything can be said and insisted that his team are not suffering from any sense of arrogance or complacency.
He said if they lose to Leeds, it would be fair enough but if his side continue to win games it’s because they remain a very good team in the Championship.
“I keep saying, there are still 13 games to go and a quarter of the season left”, Wilder was quoted as saying by the star.
“There’ll be no arrogance about us, no complacency. If we get turned over, then we’ll get turned over for a reason. But if we win games, then we’ll win games for a reason too.”
The Sheffield United boss knows his team are under pressure
Sheffield United were always the favourites to get promoted this season given they got relegated last season and had the parachute money to blow away other teams in the Championship.
Their financial advantage coupled with the experience of Wilder meant the Blades started the season as the favourites to get straight back up to the Premier League.
They are still one of the favourites to go up but they have been upstaged by a Leeds side who could have easily fallen away after losing the playoff final last season.
It must be a little irksome for Wilder to hear Leeds get all the plaudits despite Sheffield United being very much in the race for promotion and winning the Championship.
His team are under pressure ahead of the big game as Burnley’s win over Sheffield Wednesday on Friday night means they are again breathing down Sheffield United’s neck.
A defeat or even a draw means Burnley would remain within touching distance of Wilder’s men and very much in the race for automatic promotion.
Read more at;https://sportupdates.co.uk
Leave a Reply