Junior Firpo offers thoughts on Leeds United gap and Championship table after Sheffield United heroics
Leeds United defender Junior Firpo says the Whites will continue to apply themselves in the same way during the final 12 games of the season, despite moving five points clear of Sheffield United in second place.
The Dominican Republic full-back played his part in Leeds' second comeback against promotion rivals in the space of a week by scoring United's first in a famous 3-1 victory at Bramall Lane.
Firpo met Dan James' floated cross inside the penalty, powering his header beyond Blades goalkeeper Michael Cooper to draw level with 72 minutes on the clock.
Leeds had started poorly, conceding an early goal and for the opening 25 minutes looked second best to their hosts. However, the visitors fought to gain a foothold in the game and enjoyed a greater share of the game's chances during a second half punctuated by three goals, two of which came in the final minutes of normal time.
"To be fair, I think we started a little bit slow, a little bit sloppy. We had a lot of losses of the ball, unnecessary losses of the ball and obviously we concede the goal. But after 20-25 minutes, we start to play how we used to play. We started to dominate a little bit more to have our chances but we didn't score a goal. Then we went into half-time knowing in the last 20-25 minutes [of the first half], we were the best team on the pitch and we just have to keep going and to try to create chances as we used to do," the left-back said.
Firpo's equaliser set the ball rolling on another comeback win for Leeds, just seven days on from their 2-1 victory at Elland Road against Sunderland when two Pascal Struijk headers made sure of all three points, having trailed on 88 minutes.
"It's big togetherness. It's one of the best groups I've ever been in, if it's not the best. I think it's the best. Everyone is focused and going in the same direction. You can see the reaction from players who start, players who just play 20 minutes, one minute, that don't play at all. Everyone is together and we have one target, one clear target. I think the win today is massive for that target.
"I had one chance similar chance before and put it over the crossbar. I had the feeling another chance would come in the same area, so I just keep doing the same running in the same places. That ball came a little bit easier than the other one, a little bit lower. So, I just went all in and it went in. Really, really happy for that," Firpo added.
Leeds' win sees the Whites move onto 75 points with a dozen fixtures remaining. Crucially, the team are seven ahead of third place Burnley and five ahead of their Bramall Lane opponents in the second automatic promotion spot.
"It's a good distance but as I said before, we have to keep humble," Firpo said, discussing the league table. "It's not done yet. I just have a message, and it's that we will go for every game."