Leeds United are preparing for their top-of-the-table Championship clash against Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Monday night. The Whites have been flying in the league in the last few weeks but they only have a two-point lead over the Blades in the league table. Sheffield United have managed to remain on the coattails of Leeds and now have a chance to topple them at the top of the league table on Monday night. Chris Wilder has been playing mind games with Leeds all season and recently anointed them as the probable Championship winners. The Blades boss has tried to pile on the pressure even more ahead of the big clash next week.
The Whites appear to be closing in on automatic promotion this season and Daniel Farke has already admitted that 20 points from their remaining 13 games to get the job done.
However, Sheffield United are still breathing down their necks and it’s a measure of their quality that they have remained within touching distance of a Leeds side who have shifted gears in the last few weeks.
Chris Wilder would love it if his side could throw a spanner at Leeds’ momentum by beating them at Bramall Lane on Monday night and make the automatic promotion race interesting again.
The Sheffield United boss has been trying to play mind games with Leeds for months and ahead of the big game, he is hoping to dial up the pressure on the Whites.
‘Leeds are a top-six Premier League side’ – Chris Wilder
Wilder is aware that Leeds are under less pressure to win on Monday night and would be pleased to leave Bramall Lane with a point in their bag.
However, Sheffield United need to win to move to the top spot and anything other than three points would mean Burnley would breathe down their necks in the coming weeks.
Naturally, the Blades boss is trying to dial up the pressure on his opponents and his latest comments about Leeds have some admiration as well.
He stressed that Leeds are a massive club who are good enough to be one of the top six sides in the Premier League. Wilder insisted that he is not trying to unsettle the Whites but is only stating what he truly feels about the club.
“They’re a massive club”, Wilder told Sheffield Star.
“They’re a top-six English Premier League club, for me. I think they’re right up there. I saw something recently about who’s the bigger club, them or Newcastle United, and for me, it’s a toss of a coin.
“There are the likes of Aston Villa in there as well; huge clubs historically.
“I’m not trying to unsettle anyone, that’s just how it is. When you’ve won a load of things in the past and are a big, one-team city who could get 50,000 fans, they attract good players and they invest in the team.”
Wilder is trying to ensure his team appear to be the underdogs next week
Sheffield United have been the hot favourites to win the Championship since the start of the season due to the fact they just got relegated from the Premier League and had the funds to blow away the other teams in the league.
The Blades also have a manager in Wilder who has the experience of taking them up so it was natural they were the top favourites at the start of the campaign.
The fact that they are being outrun by a Leeds side who could have easily fallen away after losing the playoff final last season, which resulted in three big players leaving the club in the summer, is a little embarrassing.
Can you name the Leeds game these 10 goal celebrations are from?
Wilder has been trying to big up Leeds for weeks and it almost seems like he is trying to take the load off being the favourites from his team ahead of the big game.
Leeds’ form has made them the favourites but Sheffield United are just two points behind and will be at home for the big game on Monday night.
The Sheffield United boss’ attempts to indicate that Leeds should be doing what they are doing because they are a big club are becoming more and more blatant.
Leeds are bigger than Sheffield United in terms of size and stature but it means nothing when the two sides meet at Bramall Lane next week.
““The fact that they are being outrun by a Leeds side… is a little embarrassing”🤦♂️
Leeds have 72 points and are a 100 point pace. What could Sheffield United have done about that? Be on a 105 point pace? That’s not realistic. Terrible journalism.