I've won a world title at Elland Road and Leeds United's recent comebacks are evidence of champion mentality
Leeds United have beaten two Championship promotion rivals in their last two games.
Professional boxer and lifelong Leeds United fan Josh Warrington believes another late comeback win at Sheffield United is the mark of champions.
Leeds came from behind to win it late for the second game in a row, with Junior Firpo, Ao Tanaka and Joel Piroe all scoring in the final 18 minutes at Bramall Lane. The Whites fell behind to an Illan Meslier own-goal in the first-half but despite being without their injured captain Ethan Ampadu and manager Daniel Farke on the touchline, battled back to take another huge step towards Championship promotion.
Monday’s turnaround was the first time all season Sheffield United have scored first and gone on to lose, with the incredible Leeds fight back coming just one week after Sunderland suffered the same fate at Elland Road. Former featherweight title holder Warrington knows a thing or two about elite mentality and the Leeds-born boxer can see it in spades within Farke’s squad.
“An incredible seven days, the late show again,” Warrington told talkSPORT of Monday’s win at Bramall Lane and last week’s defeat of Sunderland. “We’ve shown a championship mentality, a champions mentality, battling right until the end. A never say die attitude. When you've got that belief that no matter what, when there’s minutes left you can score and win it. That's what is needed in this league.”
Victory at Bramall Lane, in the wider context of a 15-game unbeaten run that has seen Leeds come through meetings with Burnley, Sunderland and Sheffield United, has many tipping Leeds to secure their return to the Premier League. Never has a seven-point lead on third after 34 games ended with play-off football, and Farke’s side only look to be getting stronger each week.
Leeds have now played all of their direct promotion rivals twice, with West Brom on Saturday the only current top-six opposition left in their final dozen games. And Monday’s comeback win, which was made incredibly difficult by a fast-starting Sheffield United and raucous Bramall Lane, was further evidence they are ready for the fight.
"I'm proud of the boys," Farke told the YEP after full-time, having watched from the gantry as a result of his touchline ban. "It's one of the toughest places you can go, Bramall Lane fired up, the worst possible start and the whole stadium is buzzing. The reaction the lads showed was outstanding. Top reaction during the game to find two or three other gears, in a tight game.
“A tight win but I think a deserved win, you could feel the momentum switch. We had the lucky situation that we scored the goals in more or less the right moment. A really good night for us and priceless three points."