That’s all for tonight, we’ll leave you with Aaron Bower’s match report – goodnight.
Leeds reaction
Junior Firpo
We never stopped believing. We started slowly but we know we have a lot of options off the bench and I think they changed the game. We keep going until the end and we got what we deserved.
There are a lot of games still to play. Five points is a good lead and the way we are winning games… it feels like we are on top of everything.
Joel Piroe
The belief was there throughout. We said at half-time, the moment we score one we’ll be able to get the second one as well. We always keep believing.
Full time: Sheff Utd 1-3 Leeds
Leeds move five points clear of Sheffield United, and seven of Burnley, after a memorable win at Bramall Lane. They were in danger of being overwhelmed, particularly after Illan Meslier’s own goal, but they trusted their way of playing and were eventually rewarded in the last 20 minutes.
Junior Firpo equalised with a fine header, Ao Tanaka put them ahead with an even better one and Joel Piroe lashed a third goal to grind sodium chloride into Sheffield United’s wounds. The scoreline is a bit harsh on Sheff Utd, who contributed fully to a terrific game, but Leeds have so much class and eventually it told.
90+4 min: Leeds substitution Sam Byram on for the excellent Jayden Bogle.
90+3 min: Sheff Utd substitution Kieffer Moore replaces Callum O’Hare.
Leeds have clinched victory with a stunning goal. James laid the ball back to Piroe, 20 yards, out, and he lasered a shot with his left foot, that went through the hands of the diving Cooper. That came right off the sweet spot.
GOAL! Sheff Utd 1-3 Leeds (Piroe 90)
Pick. That. Flipper. Out.
Updated
The resulting corner was headed across goal towards Tanaka, who watched the bounce and cushioned an eerilly composed header back across goal. Peck, on the line, could only head it into the roof of the net.
Updated
GOAL! Sheff Utd 1-2 Leeds (Tanaka 89)
Cooper’s save was all in vain!
Updated
88 min: What a save by Cooper! This is one of the saves of the season. Gnonto, 25 yards from goal, hits a vicious curler that looks set to sneak into top of the net until Cooper leaps to his left and brushes the ball over the bar with his right hand.
86 min Hamer, on a yellow card, runs through the back of Gnonto and is penalised.
84 min Leeds break four on four, with Piroe on the ball. He makes room for a stinging low shot frtom 20 yards that is pushed away by Cooper, diving low to his left. The Sheffield United defender ensured Piroe didn’t really have an angle for a pass.
83 min: Leeds substitution Willy Gnonto for Manor Salomon.
82 min At the other end James’ shot is blocked by Peck, Firpo’s dangerous cross is kicked away by the keeper Cooper and finally Piroe curls straight into the arms of Cooper. It’s anyone’s game.
82 min The good save is driven beyond the far post and knocked down to Burrows on the edge of the area. He cracks a shot into the ground that is well held to his right by Meslier, who must have seen it late as itr came through the crowd.
81 min Now Sheffield United, who had been relatively passive at 1-0, are pressing for a winner. After a long spell of possession, Burrows wins a corner on the left…
77 min More terrific defending from Rodon, who scurries back to nick the ball off Hamer in the area. He ran onto to a terrific drilled pass from the keeper Cooper, controlled it beautifully on the run and would have had a clear shot but for Rodon.
75 min Big 15 minutes coming up!
74 min: Sheff Utd substitution Tom Davies comes on for Ben Brereton Diaz; that substitution was being planned before the goal.
The tireless Bogle surged down the right and gave the ball to James, who got around Burrows and clipped a good cross into the middle. Firpo arrived late, away from the flat-footed Brereton Diaz, and planted a fine header past Cooper from 10 yards. That’s outstanding play from Firpo, a goal drenched in desire.
Updated
GOAL! Sheff Utd 1-1 Leeds (Firpo 72)
Junior Firpo equalises for Leeds!
Updated
71 min: Big chance for Joseph! The corner reaches Solomon on the edge of the box. His shot is blocked, as is Rothwell’s follow up, and then Joseph slaps over the bar from 12 yards. There was a lot of people between him and the goal but that was still a big chance, Leeds’ best of the match.
70 min James’ cross deflects behind for a corner. Leeds are still to build pressure for the first time in the second half.
68 min Hamer is booked for a really poor, cynical tackle on Bogle.
67 min Burrows was turning away from the ball and it hit his right arm, which was away from his body but not fully outstretched. It’s hard to be certain but my instinct is that would have been given by Stockley Park’s finest.
66 min Leeds appeal unsuccessfully for a penalty when Bogle’s fierce cross hits the arm of Burrows. I think he’s a bit lucky – in a VAR world that is probably given.
65 min Tanaka is booked for a late tackle on Peck. That’s a bit harsh – Peck cleared the ball and then his momentum took him into Tanaka.
64 min Excellent defending from Rodon, who gets between Cannon and the ball as he tries to run onto a through pass. Sheffield United look the likelier scorers at the moment.
63 min Vini Souza hits a sweet first-time shot from 25 yards that is well held by Meslier, falling to his left. Lovely strike though.
60 min Tanaka’s cross is headed over by Firpo, eight yards out. It was just too high for him to get over the ball; otherwise it would have been an excellent chance.
59 min: Double substitution for Sheff Utd Tom Cannon and Gus Hamer come on for Tyrese Campbell and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.
59 min Rak-Sakyi’s cross is flicked on and headed wide by Robinson beyond the far post. A very tough chance.
58 min: Double substitution for Leeds Mateo Joseph and Joe Rothwell replace Brenden Aaronson and Ilia Gruev. That means Piroe will drop in as the No10.
Updated
54 min James goes down in the area after a clumsy challenge from behind by Robinson. The referee says no penalty and Robinson rounds on James, accusing him of diving. There was definitely contact, maybe not enough to knock him off his feet. I’d like to see it again, mind.
53 min A superb break from Sheffield United. Vini Souza waves a lovely outside-of-the-foot pass to release Brereton Diaz two v two. He tries to play in Campbell, and Meslier slides right to the edge of the area to claim the ball. He could easily have handled that outside the area but he judged it perfectly.
Updated
51 min Rodon lunges to make a vital last-man challenge on Brereton Diaz after a quick Sheffield United break.
50 min Sheffield United made an aggressive start to the second, as they did the first, but now Leeds are starting to settle into their passing rhythm.
47 min Sheff Utd have an early opportunity for another long throw. This one doesn’t reach Meslier and is forced clear, I think by Tanaka.
46 min Sheffield United get the second half under way. As things stand they are top of the Championship, a point clear of Leeds and five of Burnley.
Half-time substitution Sheffield United are bringing on Hamza Choudhury for Harry Clarke, who was injured just before half-time.
Half-time reading
Half time: Sheffield United 1-0 Leeds United
A fascinating struggle at Bramall Lane. Sheffield United made a fast start and took the lead through an unfortunate own goal by Illan Meslier. It looked like they might overwhelm Leeds, with Meslier looking particularly vulnerable on set-pieces, but Leeds slowly grew into the game and were the dominate side towards half-time.
45+1 min Three minutes of added time. Clarke is okay to continue.
45 min Harry Clarke is down and needs treatment. It looks like a problem with his left ankle.
42 min It took a while but Leeds are right in this game now. The dangerous Solomon makes another perfectly timed run in behind, turns back onto his right foot and whips a shot that is headed away by Ahmedhodzic.
39 min: Chance for Solomon! That’s Leeds’ best opportunity so far. Solomon makes an excellent behind Clarke, onto a clipped pass from Rodon in the centre circle. Ahmedhodzic comes across to cover, Solomon chops inside him but then shoots straight at Cooper.
36 min Leeds are having their best spell of the half. Bogle plays a crisp one-two and reverses a cross that is cleared at the second attempt by Robinson.
34 min “That 1977 Campeonato Carioca conundrum of yours is not a problem that poor Meslier will ever bother too many researchers with, I’m afraid,” says Justin Kavanagh.
That’s cold.
33 min A good attack from Leeds. Solomon cuts inside from the left and finds Aaronson, who moves it across to James on the far side of the area. The ball is bouncing a little awkwardly and eventually he thrashes high and wide with his left foot.
32 min Leeds have had more of the ball, almost 70 per cent, but Sheffield United are happy with that. They’re defending deep and picking their moments to go through the gears in attack.
30 min Brereton Diaz plays a penetrative pass to Campbell on the left. He screws a terrific first-time cross is that turned behind by Firpo, stretching in front of O’Hare at the near post. That’s really good defending.
29 min Solomon’s corner is headed across goal by Gruev and grabbed with authority by Cooper. The header wasn’t on target but it could have caused problems had it got past Cooper.
28 min “Btw Rob, what aspect of the 1977 Campeonato Carioca are you researching?” asks Peter Oh.
I’m trying to work out exactly how many minutes Vasco da Gama went without conceding a goal from May 1977 to September 1978. This is my life, and it’s ending one trivia nugget at a time.
27 min At the other end, Peck runs into space and curls a long-range shot that is comfortably saved by Meslier.
26 min James curls a dangerous inswinging cross that is a few yards in front of Solomon at the far post. Leeds are starting to have one or two promising attacks.
24 min “The nature of the opening goal reminded me to share this riddle,” says Peter Oh. “What do you call it when the Leeds keeper tries to snaffle the ball in a hectic, crowded six-yard box?
“A Meslier melee. In this case, a messy Meslier melee.”
Arf. The more I see the goal, the more I think he was just unlucky – his back foot gave way and that was crucial in the eventual outcome.
Updated
21 min Better from Leeds. Firpo combines well with Solomon and slides a low cross that is well cut out at the near post, I think by Robinson.
19 min Rak-Sakyi plays a smart square pass to Brereton Diaz, whose fierce first-time shot from 20 yards is blocked. Sheffield United are all over Leeds like a cheap cliche.
18 min Another long throw isn’t dealt with convincingly by Meslier, who is being targetted by Sheffield United. This is a big 10 minutes for him and Leeds.
16 min Almost a second for Sheffield United, with a terrific cross from Burrows (I think) flashing right across the face of goal.
I thought Tyrese Campbell had scored but in fact it’s an own goal from Illan Meslier. Brereton Diaz curled a sensational inswinging cross from the left that was met by O’Hare at the near post. His header was pushed onto the underside bar by Meslier, a quite brilliant reaction save, but Leeds couldn’t get the ball away.
Campbell headed the rebound onto the post, a bad miss in truth, and then headed the second rebound back across the goalline. Meslier, who was sliding desperately towards his own goal after making that original save, couldn’t slow his momentum and knocked the ball into his own net. I think Meslier might have slipped as well.
Updated
GOAL! Sheff Utd 1-0 Leeds (Meslier og 14)
Sheffield United take the lead!
Updated
10 min “As a Leeds fan,” says Ezra Finkelstein, “I’m white-knuckling my way through this game which feels like it could make or break our promotion charge.”
I’m not sure, as a neutral, that it’s quite that important. But then if I was a Leeds (or Sheff Utd) fan I’d have the whitest knuckles in the west.
9 min: Off the line by Gruev! Meslier is looking vulnerable on set-pieces. He paws Peck’s corner back towards his own goal – he thought he was fouled, the referee disagreed – and Gruev did brilliantly to stoop forward and head the ball off the line.
8 min A long throw from the left is spilled by Meslier, who is very relieved to dive on the loose ball before any Sheffield United player can get to it.
5 min Plenty of boos as Bogle, who left Sheffield United last summer, has his first run down the right for Leeds. To the surprise of precisely nobody, it’s been a frantic start.
3 min Struijk and Campbell stay down for a bit after an unpleasant but entirely accidental collision. They’re on their feet now.
2 min A wayward shot from Vini Souza is collected near the corner flag by Rak-Sakyi. He hits a tremendous inswinging cross that just clears the man at the near post and is headed away.
1 min Leeds, in yellow, kick off from left to right as we watch. Their manager Daniel Farke is banned from the touchline tonight after picking up another booking last Monday.
Apologies, I’ve been sidetracked with some research into the Campeonato Carioca of 1977. The players are ready for action, and the atmosphere is spectacular.
Jonathan Wilson on the promotion race
You don’t have to spend too much time at a Championship ground to hear the opinion that promotion isn’t worth the hassle, that the euphoria of the moment would soon be replaced by the gloom of habitual defeat. That’s true even at Leeds, who are playing with real verve and confidence at the moment. They haven’t lost in the league since the end of November. They’ve conceded only once in their last seven league games. Last Monday, they came from behind to beat Sunderland with a great pulsating finish, wave after wave of relentless attack eventually leading to a 95th-minute winner. On Monday they go to second-placed Sheffield United: win that and they will be five points clear at the top of the Championship.
Team news
Chris Wilder makes three changes to the Sheffield United side that won at Luton nine days ago. Harrison Burrows, Sydie Peck and Callum O’Hare come in for Sam McCallum, Hamza Choudhury and Rhian Brewster.
Just one change for Leeds. Pascal Struijk, the hero of last Monday’s win over Sunderland, returns to the starting line-up in place of the injured Ethan Ampadu.
Sheffield United (4-2-3-1) Cooper; Clarke, Ahmedhodzic, Robinson, Burrows; Vinicius Souza, Peck; Rak-Sakyi, O’Hare, Brereton Diaz; Campbell.
Substitutes: Faxon, McCallum, Holding, Brewster, Hamer, Moore, Davies, Choudhury, Cannon.
Leeds United (4-2-3-1) Meslier; Bogle, Rodon, Struijk, Firpo; Tanaka, Gruev; James, Aaronson, Solomon; Piroe.
Substitutes: Darlow, Rothwell, Ramazani, Joseph, Guilavogui, Byram, Gnonto, Wober, Schmidt.
Referee David Webb.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to live minute-by-minute coverage of a huge Championship match at Bramall Lane: 2nd v 1st, Sheffield United v Leeds, a Yorkshire derby of considerable significance.
Burnley’s whiter-than-white form means it is almost certainly a three-horse race for the two automatic promotion places. Even so, tonight’s winner – if there is one – will have a handy lead going into the home straight.
Kick-off 8pm GMT
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leeds | 33 | 48 | 72 |
| 2 | Sheff Utd | 33 | 24 | 70 |
| 3 | Burnley | 34 | 34 | 68 |
| 4 | Sunderland | 34 | 19 | 62 |
| 5 | West Brom | 34 | 13 | 51 |
