A 2-0 over Derby County restored Leeds United to the top two and the automatic promotion spots this season. They are still behind Sheffield United in the table but are massive favourites to get promoted to the Premier League this season. The Whites were in a similar position last year and are well aware that anything can still happen in the Championship in the latter half of the campaign.
Daniel Farke has been insistent that his players must not look too far ahead and focus on each game as it comes in their bid to get automatic promotion. He and his team have scars from last season and are looking to ensure that it doesn’t happen again this season.
Leeds look like a team who are battle-hardened this year and they are universally accepted as the side who are certain to be in the promotion contention at the end of the season.
Some AI simulations have even given them a 75 percent chance of winning promotion and the excitement around the Whites could reach fever pitch in the latter half of the campaign.
Leeds’ rivals are also aware of their strength and the quality of their squad and some of them have already started the mind games early with more than half of the season still to be played.
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder, whose team are leading the Championship table, indicated that Leeds are miles ahead of his team in terms of experience and ability.
“These boys are learning on the job, at the top of the division”, said Wilder, as quoted by the Sheffield Star.
“I’ve just been asked a question about being in contention with Leeds United – Leeds are miles ahead of us.”
Leeds United must ignore Wilder and focus on the job at hand
Wilder intended to serve two purposes with his ‘miles ahead’ comment. The Sheffield United boss is keen to take the pressure off from his Championship leading team ahead of a busy run of games.
He is also looking to ensure that Leeds feel the heat as he is aware that the fanbase are restless about getting back to the Premier League after last season’s heartbreak.
Farke has been around the block for too long not to understand what Wilder is trying to achieve through this. The Leeds boss will look to ensure that these words do not get into his players’ heads
Leeds cannot afford to take their feet off the peddle and become complacent ahead of a massive run of games for the team.
As it seems like now, the automatic promotion race will go down to the wire and every dropped point could turn fatal in the grand scheme of things.
90 points were not enough for Leeds last season and the players will know that they can’t afford to drop their standards. Wilder’s words could serve as a major distraction and the team must ensure that their focus remains on the job at hand.
The pressure will only mount from here
We are still only in December and the off-the-cuff remarks and jibes are only going to get more frequent in the coming months. Sheffield United and Leeds United are expected to be fighting for automatic promotion along with Burnley and Sunderland and the pressure will only go up from here.
Wilder is a wily operator in the Championship and already has the experience of taking Sheffield United to the Premier League. He will look to add pressure on Leeds as he is acutely aware that the club are under pressure to get promoted after last season’s failure.
Daniel Farke has to find a way to respond to the jibes without getting into a war of words with the Blades boss as that is exactly what he wants at the moment.
He will have to keep his calm while ensuring his players remain focused on the task at hand this season.
