'Unsettle' - Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder reveals true feelings towards Leeds United 'powerhouse'
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder has admitted there is added pressure to fixtures like Monday night's encounter with Leeds United.
Leeds visit Bramall Lane in a matter of days with the opportunity to move five points clear of their nearest promotion rivals. To open up such a gap with only a dozen league fixtures remaining would put Leeds in a strong position to restore their Premier League status, at the second time of asking since relegation in 2023.
Wilder has been speaking about Leeds ahead of the contest, once again describing the Whites as a 'massive club', whilst also admitting there is added pressure for such top-of-the-table clashes.
"They're a massive club," Wilder said, as quoted by YEP sister title the Sheffield Star. "They're a top six English Premier League club, for me. I think they're right up there. I saw something recently about who's the bigger club, them or Newcastle United, and for me it's a toss of coin. There's the likes of Aston Villa in there as well; huge clubs historically.
"I'm not trying to unsettle anyone, that's just how it is. When you've won a load of things in the past and are a big, one-team city who could get 50,000 fans, they attract good players and they invest in the team," he added, commending the Whites' ownership.
Leeds have sold out every away allocation this season and Monday night will be no different when a few thousand descend on Bramall Lane. Wilder says he is feeling the pressure, but that it's only natural for a game of such magnitude.
"There's pressure either way to win games and they're a huge football club. And when you're playing huge clubs, it does go up a notch. They're a powerhouse of English football. I won't change my opinion of that, I haven't changed that since the early 90s when my pal [Jon Newsome] scored in a game at the Lane to win them the old First Division. It's always been the same."
Sheffield United are two points off Leeds in top spot and have won each of their last four Championship games since a 3-0 defeat at Bramall Lane by Hull City last month. Daniel Farke's side, on the other hand, are 15 games unbeaten in the league and will be buoyed by their comeback win over Sunderland earlier this week.
The Leeds boss is scheduled to speak to the media on Friday afternoon, in which he, too, will preview next Monday's top-of-the-table fixture.