So Leeds make off from Bramall Lane with the three points, and go top of the Championship for a couple of hours at least. All that’s left is to guide you in the direction of our man Ben Fisher’s match report ...
... and to remind you that Mr Baz is already clattering away at today’s Clockwatch. Thanks for reading!
Marcelo Bielsa talks. “It was a very tactical game. A draw would have been a fair result. I changed the game during the first half, we switched position with Roofe and Hernandez and this improved our game a lot. At the end of the day, the mistake made by the opponent, and their shot off the bar, decided the game.”
A downcast Chris Wilder speaks. “I thought we played extremely well, and dominated an excellent side. We knew we had to do a lot of things well to win the game; we missed a couple of big chances and obviously the game was decided by an individual error. We said at half-time the game might be decided on a bit of brilliance or an error, and obviously for us that’s been the case. Dean is a big boy and he’ll get on with it. I thought there were some really strange decisions from referee and linesmen combined, but that’s not why we lost. We wanted to make contact with the opposition and they’ve got to be able to handle it. We shouldn’t be anywhere near the big prize, there are 15 clubs who should be above us. But we’ll try to cause an upset and a surprise. Credit to Leeds United and we wish them all the best.”
So that’s a fifth win in seven for Leeds United, who go top of the Championship. They’ll stay there for a couple of hours at least; maybe more if Norwich City fail to beat Rotherham United at home later this afternoon. Sheffield United stay in fifth for now, but Nottingham Forest and Derby County are snapping at their heels. If Forest see off bottom club Ipswich Town at the City Ground today, they’ll go above the Blades. Derby could leapfrog them too, but they’ll need to defeat Swansea City heavily to do so.
Kalvin Phillips reacts! “After losing Coops, one of our best defenders, it just shows we can cope with top teams like Sheffield United at their place. We are just buzzing. We knew Sheffield United would come out fighting, but we got the three points.”
The match-winner Pablo Hernandez adds: “All the team worked in defence. We knew we always have chances. It’s an important win for us, our third in a row. It’s important to stay at the top of the table. If we want to stay there, we must win games. We always play for the win. If we continue in the way we play, we will win a lot of games.”
FULL TIME: Sheffield United 0-1 Leeds United
Leeds go top! Henderson’s mistake proved the difference. That was a very entertaining match. Not totally sure how the hosts finished with 11 men.
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90 min +4: A corner for Sheffield United on the left. Henderson comes up. Leeds stay firm and clear. It looks as though they’ll fall over the line, Sheffield United having put them under some pressure since the goal.
90 min +3: Klich is booked for timewasting.
90 min +2: The ball’s returned into the mixer from the left, forcing Jansson to flick the ball behind for a corner. There follows a melee. In the middle of it, roughly on the penalty spot, Washington, his back to goal, sends an overhead kick looping over Peacock-Farrell and onto the crossbar! What an effort, and so unlucky! Leeds clear.
90 min +1: Baldock floats a cross into the Leeds area from the right. Peacock-Farrell has been poor coming off his line today, but here he punches clear with confidence.
90 min: Shackleton replaces the Leeds goalscorer Hernandez. There will be four added minutes.
89 min: Washington runs the ball out of play for a goal kick down the left, but Sheffield United get a corner anyway. The officials have been worse than useless this afternoon. Fortunately for them, the resulting set piece comes to nothing.
88 min: Hernandez sends a fizzer towards the bottom left from distance. Henderson does extremely well to get a strong hand on it. Clarke tries to work space to send the rebound goalwards, but doesn’t manage it.
87 min: Marching On Together rings around Bramall Lane. The home fans are still stunned by the way their defence needlessly folded. The hosts try to get them going again, O’Connell crossing deep from the left, Basham volleying wildly from a tight spot on the right. Goal kick. Forshaw was pulling on Basham’s shirt there, but this ref tends not to see those.
86 min: Halme is booked for barging into the back of Sharp. That’s a free kick, 25 yards out, a little to the left. A chance to load the box, but Norwood’s delivery is appalling and easily cleared by Leeds.
84 min: There seemed to be absolutely no danger there, but Sheffield United’s defence imploded in spectacular, farcical style. Leeds have won all nine games in which they’ve gone ahead this season; can Sheffield United redeem themselves and put an end to that run?
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GOAL! Sheffield United 0-1 Leeds United (Hernandez 82)
What a fiasco! Egan passes back to Henderson. The ball threatens to go out for a corner, to the right of goal, so the keeper cuts it back towards O’Connell. But Clarke is sniffing around, and intercepts! He dinks the ball into the middle for Hernandez, who can’t miss, facing an unguarded net!
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80 min: Forshaw tries to slip his way between Fleck and Norwood. The door slams shut. Norwood is booked as a result, sliding into the Leeds man. There didn’t seem much in that. The referee with another experimental interpretation of the laws, there.
78 min: Sheffield United take the sting out of the game by passing it around the back awhile.
76 min: Klich wanders down the inside-right channel. Egan doesn’t bother to close him down, presuming that the Leeds midfielder is too far out to shoot. Big mistake, because Klich pearls a rising effort towards the top right. Henderson is rooted to the spot, beaten all ends up. Sheffield United breathe a sigh of relief as the ball sails an inch or two wide of the top corner. That was a magnificent effort.
75 min: Roofe floats a cross into the mixer from the left. Dallas is waiting to head home at the far post, but Stevens gets in the road just in time, eyebrowing out for a corner. The set piece leads to nowt.
74 min: It’s taken well over an hour, but here’s the first lull of the match.
72 min: And now it’s Leeds who are inches away from opening the scoring. Dallas, out on the right, chips a gorgeous ball onto the head of Roofe, who looks to guide a header into the top right from 12 yards. It’s inches wide of the post, with Henderson beaten. “The fact that this game is still, somehow, goalless seems to sum up the chaotic equality of the Championship,” suggests Phil Withall. “No team seems capable of dominating this season, which makes it so much more enjoyable than the Premier League.”
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70 min: Baldock, cutting in from the right, tees up Stevens, 30 yards out. Stevens takes a touch, opens his body, and curls a fine shot inches over the bar. He nearly planted that right in the corner, Peacock-Farrell had no chance. A sharp intake of breath rebounds around Bramall Lane.
69 min: Passes aren’t sticking right now. Both teams playing with high speed and low accuracy.
67 min: Washington turns, a large circle, out on the left and nearly threads a pass down the channel to release McGoldrick. The sub looks lively, and has already combined well a couple of times with McGoldrick.
65 min: That’s revived Sheffield United, though; they had been rocking a little. Now a corner’s won down the left. Peacock-Farrell comes out to claim Norwood’s set piece. He’s never getting it, and is very lucky that no Sheffield United player reacts. The ball flies straight out for a goal kick. Peacock-Farrell can stop a shot all right, but he’s a liability coming off his line.
63 min: The hosts make their first change, replacing Duffy with Washington. And the sub’s immediately in the thick of it. Halme shanks a simple clearance, the ball falling to the sub, who slips it to McGoldrick, just inside the Leeds area. He sees the white of Peacock-Farrell’s eyes, and should win the one-on-one duel, but his low shot is too close to the keeper, who kicks away.
61 min: But Leeds are cranking up the pressure, and they win a corner on the right. Jansson rises to meet it, but can only head down, up and over the bar. He’s livid, because Basham had a proper handful of his shirt, which was sagging down by his knees at one point. Sheffield United have got away with quite a bit this afternoon.
60 min: Roofe and Hernandez combine well across the front of the Sheffield United box. Hernandez then dinks a pass down the inside left for Klich, who dances left to right, evading four sliding challenges, eventually shooting low and hard towards the bottom left. Henderson parries well.
58 min: A replay of action just before the Clarke one-two on 55 mins. Baldock had a handful of Clarke’s shirt in the Sheffield United box as the pair contested a right-wing cross. It would have been a soft penalty.
56 min: Sharp wheechs a ball in from the right. Nobody meets it. Stevens tries to keep the move going out on the left, but after dropping a shoulder this way, then that, he’s closed down.
55 min: Clarke shimmies in from the left wing, exchanges passes with Hernandez, and whistles a low shot towards the bottom left from 20 yards. Henderson smothers well.
53 min: Baldock, who nearly got himself booked in the last knockings of the first half, finally sees yellow with a clumsy late slide on Clarke. This referee is all over the place.
51 min: A lengthy period of possession for Sheffield United, who stroke it around in the Manchester City style. Eventually the ball’s slipped wide left to Sharp, who wins a corner. The set piece comes to nothing, but that was a fine passage of controlled football. Pep would have approved.
48 min: Duffy slides a lovely pass down the inside-left channel to release McGoldrick, who takes a touch inside with a view to shooting from the edge of the box. But he’s gone a fraction too early, and the flag goes up for offside. It’s the correct decision, but there’s really not much in it, so much so that you would have understood if the flag had stayed down. Leeds were very light at the back then, snoozing away.
47 min: Leeds start the half on the front foot. Dallas juggles the ball in the Sheffield United area. It’s some lovely close control ... and then he fresh-air swipes at his shot. Sheffield United half clear. Then Douglas, striding down the inside left, sends a rising heatseeker towards the top right from distance. It’s not far away at all. That would have been beyond spectacular.
And we’re off again! Leeds make their second change, removing the ineffectual Alioski and replacing him with Clarke. The home side get the party restarted.
Half-time reading: This is just the first big game of a stellar weekend. Tomorrow’s fixtures include the north London derby, the Merseyside derby and the Scottish League Cup final. Here’s our man Ewan Murray on the upcoming stramash at Hampden.
HALF TIME: Sheffield United 0-0 Leeds United
There’s enough time left for Baldock to needlessly whack Hernandez on the ankle - the Sheffield United man escapes a yellow, with this referee the model of inconsistency - and then the half-time whistle blows. It’s been an eventful first 45: both teams have been denied by fine saves, while the hosts are fortunate to still be at full strength. Don’t go anywhere, because the second half promises much!
45 min +2: A couple of corners for Sheffield United, out on the left. Neither of them are up to much.
45 min: There will be three added minutes.
44 min: McGoldrick spins down the right and curls a gorgeous cross onto the head of Sharp, who has found a little space, eight yards from goal. Sharp should score, but mistimes his header, heading down, the ball bouncing up and over the bar. In karmic terms, it’s probably for the best that he missed it, because he was offside but the flag didn’t go up.
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42 min: Stevens hangs out a leg to trip up the skedaddling Dallas. Given that he’s already been booked, he’s really testing the referee’s patience here. Fortunately for Sheffield United, the ref’s feeling Zen, and just gives Stevens a talking to. Still, on another day, the hosts could easily be down to nine already!
40 min: Egan launches himself towards Roofe to win a challenge he’s always going to win. Roofe turns his back to avoid a face-to-face clash. The pair come together, and Roofe is booked. Roofe looks affronted, and you can see his point; there was no chance of his avoiding Egan there.
39 min: Fleck shimmies into space on the left and hoicks a shot over the bar. A sense that Sheffield United are looking to test the shaky Peacock-Farrell as much as possible.
38 min: McGoldrick has been Sheffield United’s brightest light this lunchtime, if we forget that dismal tackle. He cuts in from the left and looks to curl one into the top right. A little too much on that. Not sure Peacock-Farrell had it covered were it on target.
36 min: Baldock loops in a cross from the right. Under pressure from Sharp, Peacock-Farrell comes out and flaps once again. The ball drops to McGoldrick, on the penalty spot. McGoldrick should score, but flashes a wild effort miles over the bar. The flag’s up anyway, perhaps for an offside on Sharp, perhaps for a generous foul on the keeper. Either way, it remains scoreless. But there’s been plenty of incident.
35 min: Basham goes sliding on on Forshaw, who flips high into the air. Basham offers him a hand up, but the Leeds midfielder isn’t interested. No quarter asked, etc.
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34 min: Hernandez slams a poor low free kick into Egan, who redeems himself by clearing. Then the Sheffield United defender completes a manic couple of minutes by trying to rake in a Beckenbauer-style effort from the best part of 35 yards. No sir.
33 min: Roofe is in the process of spinning Egan down the inside-left channel. Egan attempts to strip off his top. Another booking, and a free kick just to the left of the D.
32 min: Another cross from the right by Dallas. Basham hacks clear. Leeds are pinning Sheffield United back. This game is all ebb and flow.
30 min: Dallas whistles a low cross along the corridor of uncertainty from the right. It’s a glorious ball, just waiting to be slammed home from close range, but Roofe is back on his heels. What a chance that was for a striker with his antenna on.
29 min: Leeds are working their way back into the game again. Hernandez embarks on a baroque dribble down the middle, but is crowded out. Then Roofe crosses from the right, causing mild concern in the hosts’ defence.
27 min: The corner is overhit. Roofe and Baldock tangle at the far post, as the ball goes straight out for a goal kick. Roofe wants a penalty, after crashing theatrically to the floor, but come off it.
26 min: The resulting free kick is looped into a packed Sheffield United area. There’s a messy melee. In the middle of it: the sub Halme, who whips a low shot towards the bottom left. Henderson gets down extremely well to turn the ball away from danger. Corner.
25 min: The referee’s card comes out now, as Stephens nearly rips the busy Klich’s shirt off his back, as the Leeds man threatens to power down the middle of the park.
24 min: Sheffield United are utterly dominant right now. Leeds can’t get a sniff. Norwood curls in low and hard from the right, and Sharp nearly stuns the ball dead on the penalty spot. He can’t quite control; a shame for the Blades, because otherwise he’d be doing what he usually does, and slotting the ball into Leeds’ net.
22 min: Halme immediately finds himself in a duel with Sharp, and wins the first battle. Then McGoldrick goes in on Klich, over the top. His studs crump onto Klich’s shin; he should really be heading for an early bath. But the referee doesn’t send him off; he doesn’t book him; he doesn’t even give a free kick. That was a very poor challenge.
21 min: Cooper limps off very gingerly indeed. I’m surprised they haven’t called for a stretcher, the poor guy looks in serious pain, and he can’t put any weight on that leg at all. Anyway, he bravely makes his way off the field of play, and is replaced by Halme.
19 min: Cooper is down clutching his right leg. And now he’s clutching his head in a little distress. It looks like he’s twisted his knee. He bangs the floor in frustration.
17 min: A throw into the Leeds area from the left. O’Connell chests the ball down with his back to goal, swivels on the left-hand corner of the six-yard box, and tries to skelp a volley goalwards. It’s a centre-half’s finish. Goal kick, but full marks for ambition.
16 min: Leeds try to reestablish themselves in the game with a little period of possession in the Sheffield United half. Dallas and Hernandez ping it around a bit, then McGoldrick gets fed up and hauls the former down. A free kick out on the right wing. Douglas takes, and lumps a witless ball miles over a packed box. Goal kick, and pressure’s off.
14 min: So having said that, there’s a couple of minutes of scrappy play. Pulitzer, please!
12 min: It’s tipping down. It’s also a lovely open game. Both of these teams would grace the Premier League; this match is very easy on the eye.
10 min: After a sluggish start, the hosts are beginning to dominate possession and push Leeds back. McGoldrick, picking the ball up from deep, surges down the inside-right channel, Leeds offering no resistance. He pearls a low shot towards the bottom left. It’s going in, but Peacock-Farrell makes up for his earlier flap with a wonderful fingertip stop, turning the ball round the post. The resulting corner is a non-event.
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8 min: Sharp bustles down the right and earns a corner off Jansson. Sheffield United load the box. The ball’s hoicked into the mixer. Peacock-Farrell, the Leeds penalty-saving hero of midweek, comes off his line and flaps wildly. Basham tries to loop a header into the unguarded net, but can’t convert.
6 min: Norwood scored a screamer at Brentford in the week. He tries to replicate it from a similar position down the inside-right channel, but instead of planting the ball into the top left, he drags it tamely wide of the left-hand post. Henderson had it covered all the way.
5 min: Stevens makes ground down the left, and cuts one back for McGoldrick, who can’t quite get on the end of thhe low cross. But that’s the first positive sign for the hosts. Meanwhile that first-minute cross from Klich ... a suggestion that Basham had nudged Alioski in the back in the area, though the Leeds forward didn’t make any claim for a penalty kick.
3 min: Dallas and Douglas exchange passes. The move doesn’t quite work out. Dallas tries his luck from long range, and nearly clears the stand behind the goal.
2 min: It’s all very hectic. Sheffield United haven’t really had a touch yet.
And we’re off! As the Greasy Chip Butty Song pings around the stadium, Leeds get the ball rolling. They pass it around a bit. Klich romps down the right and whips a cross towards Roofe at the far post. Too heavy, but that’s a bright start by the visitors.
The teams are out! As you’d expect, there’s a cracking atmosphere for this local skirmish. On a drizzly day, Sheffield United wear their famous red-and-white striped shirts, while Leeds sport second-choice yellow shirts. And everyone’s laced up their boots in the colourful style, in support of Stonewall’s Rainbow campaign. We’ll be off in a minute!
Marcelo Bielsa talks tactics! “It could be a three or a four at the back. Both lines are possible. If it is a four, it will be Dallas, Jansson, Cooper, Douglas. If it’s a three, it will be Phillips, Jansson and Cooper.”
Chris Wilder speaks! “Mark Duffy was always going to play in this game. And we’ve changed it around with Kieron Freeman and George Baldock, we’ve got two really good players in that position, so we’ve just freshened that position up. We are both working-class football clubs, with a proud history and a cracking fan base. It’s all set up for a fantastic afternoon!”
Setting the scene. The brutal beauty of Bramall Lane. Le Corbusier would have been proud.
Sheffield United make three changes to the victorious starting XI named at Brentford in midweek. George Baldock, Mark Duffy and Leeds-bothering captain Billy Sharp start, in place of John Lundstram, Kieron Freeman and Conor Washington.
Leeds United make just the one change to the team that saw off Reading on Tuesday. Pontus Jansson returns from injury, replacing Lewis Baker.
The teams
Sheffield United: Henderson, Baldock, Stevens, O’Connell, Basham, Egan, Fleck, Norwood, Duffy, Sharp, McGoldrick.
Subs: Lundstram, Coutts, Stearman, Johnson, Moore, Cranie, Washington.
Leeds United: Peacock-Farrell, Dallas, Douglas, Jansson, Cooper, Phillips, Klich, Alioski, Hernandez, Forshaw, Roofe.
Subs: Huffer, Halme, Clarke, Shackleton, Baker, Harrison, Saiz.
Preamble
Sheffield United versus Leeds United. To members of a certain generation, this is a fixture that means only one thing: Brian Gayle, under pressure from a lurking Eric Cantona, slicing the ball into the air with his knee then heading into his own net, effectively securing the 1991/92 title for Leeds. A farcical end to the pre-Premier League era, but what a midfield Leeds had back then: McAllister-Speed-Strachan-Batty! The most underrated English champions of all time?
Anyway, we digress, and since then Sheffield United have had the upper hand over their Yorkshire neighbours. The teams have played 14 matches since that epochal day at Bramall Lane, and the Blades have won eight of them, Leeds a mere three. Chris Wilder’s men won home and away last season, a pair of 2-1s, Billy Sharp doing most of the damage. Marcelo Bielsa’s lads will want to arrest that little trend.
Seeing they lie second in the Championship table right now, they may fancy their chances. They’re in decent nick, having won three of their last four, although the other result in that sequence was a 4-1 larruping at the hands of West Bromwich Albion. Sheffield United meanwhile have only won one of their last four. But that was a confidence-booster at Brentford in midweek. They’re fifth in the table, just two points behind Leeds. And they’ve not lost at home since the opening day of the season.
However you slice it, these Yorkshire rivals are both taking a serious tilt at playing Premier League football next season. It wouldn’t be a huge shock if either club ended up in the automatic promotion spots; you’d have to fancy both of them for the play-offs at the very least. So two fine teams will be locking horns this afternoon. Good luck calling it. It’s on!
Kick off: 12.30pm BST
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