Daniel Farke inadvertently reveals possible Leeds United promotion date with Sheffield United and Burnley assist
With 12 matches still remaining this season, Leeds United manager Daniel Farke refuses to comment on the Whites' likelihood of promotion but has inadvertently suggested when a promotion party could be in the offing.
The Leeds boss was pleased with his team's reaction to going a goal down at Bramall Lane on Monday night, seven days on from a similar comeback at home to Sunderland.
Leeds made it 16 league games without defeat, recording only their second comeback win over Sheffield United on the Blades' turf in the club's history.
Junior Firpo's 72-minute bullet header set the ball rolling, before Ao Tanaka guided Pascal Struijk's first contact at a Leeds corner into the back of the net for a second goal with one minute of normal time remaining.
Joel Piroe scored the pick of the bunch merely 60 seconds later, rifling an effort past Michael Cooper who could do little to stop the goalbound trajectory of the ball.
Ahead of the fixture, Farke played down the suggestion Leeds' trip to Bramall Lane had the potential to be a title decider, on the basis that so much football is still to be played.
"It's not the 44th game-day. Still so many games to play," Farke said. "The phrase massive game, I've heard it already 20 times during the season. I will hear it 10 more times. This league is all about consistency. And you know my attitude that I don't think that the league is decided in these more or less spotlight games. Yeah, it's nice for the broadcasters and for the supporters and everyone has the right also to be excited, but in order to finish in top position, you have to show consistency. I mentioned also last season, we won all the two games against Leicester. We won the two games against Ipswich, but they are playing in the Premier League right now, so it's more or less like the everyday work, the consistency that you have to show, this is crucial, in order to be successful in this league and not to be good in one special game. And you know, yes, if it would be the 44th game day, yes, it would be different. But even after this game, there's so many points to play for. So, if it's a win and loss, a draw, nothing is decided after the game."
Farke's admission that game-day 44 could be a crucial time in the Championship calendar is fitting given third-place Burnley play host to Sheffield United that week, in both teams' third-to-last fixture of the regular campaign.
At least one side is guaranteed to drop points, perhaps both if they cannot be separated, which could potentially hand Leeds automatic promotion or even the title with two games to spare, if the division has not been sewn up already.
Chris Wilder's Blades trail Leeds by five points following Monday night's late, late show, while Burnley, despite winning at the weekend to keep the pressure on the top two, are still seven points off top spot.