Chris Wilder answers Leeds United 'pressure' question after Sheffield United land promotion blow
Leeds United were knocked off the top of the Championship on Saturday.
Chris Wilder doesn’t expect Leeds United to feel any extra pressure come Monday after being knocked off top-spot in the Championship by his Sheffield United side.
The Blades came away from Luton Town with a hard-fought 1-0 win on Saturday, albeit they were made to wait until the 79th minute for Anel Ahmedhodzic’s winner and were somewhat fortunate to not concede beforehand. A fourth straight victory was enough to see Wilder’s men leapfrog Leeds into first, with a point between the two current automatic promotion candidates.
Daniel Farke’s side aren’t in action until Monday night and face one of their toughest challenges of the campaign, with promotion rivals Sunderland due at Elland Road. At least a point is now needed if they want to go top again, but Wilder doesn’t expect a team who have been so consistent all season to wobble any time soon.
“Nah, they don't need pressure,” he told The Star. “They've handled it all the way through. “We have to keep our heads down and concentrate on what we can control. Any team that wants to be successful has to go through days like today, to achieve what they want to achieve.
“It's going to be that way and it might be that type of performance is needed in a few games. I'd have loved to have played like we did on Wednesday night [against Middlesbrough], which was really controlled against a different type of team.
“But I think when you look back on seasons and you are successful, you have to experience different challenges and come through them. We've experienced a difficult type of challenge today and we've come through it.”
Both Leeds and Sheffield United were boosted to see Burnley drop points on Saturday lunchtime, with yet another 0-0 draw coming at Lancashire rivals Preston North End. Scott Parker’s side have now played out 11 goalless stalemates, dropping 22 points as a result.
That result means Leeds will have their chance to increase the gap on third even further come Monday, with victory over Sunderland sending them top and seven points clear of Burnley. A point at home to the Black Cats would also see Farke’s side return to the summit, thanks to their vastly superior goal difference.
Leeds will then go to Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United a week on Monday for a massive top-of-the-table clash. Wilder was without talisman Gustavo Hamer and £10million January signing Tom Cannon for Saturday’s trip to Kenilworth Road, however both are expected to return from minor issues in time for that Bramall Lane fixture.