'We have to' - Leeds United pair sum up dressing room mentality as Sheffield United close gap
Leeds United duo Joe Rothwell and Junior Firpo were disappointed not to come away with all three points from the Whites' encounter with West Bromwich Albion on Saturday afternoon.
Leeds were held to a score-draw at Elland Road after two noteworthy comebacks against Sunderland and Sheffield United in consecutive weeks.
The Baggies found themselves a goal down early on as Firpo scored for the second match in-a-row, rising to glance a header beyond goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith. However, Darnell Furlong's 39th-minute equaliser from a West Brom set-piece levelled proceedings and that was the way it finished.
After the match, both Firpo and Rothwell were interviewed by Sky Sports. The pair appeared disheartened not to have taken maximum points from the game.
"There was just one team trying to get the win, and that was us," Firpo said. "Obviously, after the last games that we had, a point is a point and I think we will take it."
"We play a lot of attacking football. I say a lot of times that suits me a lot the way that we play. I think I'm just trying to get into the box to see the cross and today, happy to score again," the defender added.
Rothwell, meanwhile, was asked whether the squad had faith in their ability to find a winner following their two previous results.
"I think we have to, we've given ourselves that belief in the last few weeks. So, we'll try and score right up until the ref blows the whistle. I did fancy us to probably get another late one today.
"Just touching on what Junior's had to say, it's a positive point, but ultimately there's only one team who's really trying to win that game," the on-loan AFC Bournemouth midfielder said.
Leeds are currently on a 17-game unbeaten run in the Championship as they near a return to the Premier League and have, in recent weeks especially, shown themselves to possess a never-say-die attitude, particularly when behind in games.
The collective mentality appears to be a strong one that expects to take all three points at home, where Leeds have won 14 of their 18 league fixtures this season, and holds each other to a high standard.
Daniel Farke's side can ill afford to slack off in the coming weeks with Sheffield United reducing the gap to top spot to just three points with victory on the road at Queens Park Rangers. The Blades were 2-1 winners at Loftus Road, shortly after Leeds were held by the Baggies.