Sheffield United 1 Leeds United 3: Statement victory for Whites after Blades rock them on their heels — Yorkshire Post 24/2/25

By Stuart Rayner

"We're going to win the league," sang the Leeds United fans at full-time, and it was hard not to believe them.

Sheffield United threw everything at them in the first half an hour, rocking them on their heels in a way probably no one else has in this season's Championship.

But for the second Monday in a row, Pascal Struijk won it late for Leeds at a corner. Goals from flag kicks are rare for Daniel Farke's side, but teams who lift titles have an uncanny habit of winning matches like this.

This time Struijk was not the scorer, heading an 88th-minute header across for Ao Tanaka to measure a precise header right into the top corner. Sydie Peck did his best to nod it clear, but could only bounce it in off the crossbar.

Joel Piroe lashed in a stoppage-time strike to make it 3-1 but Leeds had done it again, the wider margin of victory disguising how much tougher this had been than the dramatic 2-1 win over Sunderland seven days earlier.

The game was a great advert both for the Championship and Yorkshire football but Blades manager Chris Wilder had said beforehand all he was interested in was winning, and this was a sickening way for them to lose.

So many seats were empty by the time David Webb called time, unable to stomach what the local rivals had done to them. Of course no one was shifting from the away end.

Timid when the sides met at Elland Road, they were anything but this time, taking energy from a crowd as pumped-up as you would expect for a game of this nature.

Whether it was the atmosphere, the intensity of Leeds' attacking play or the panic spread by Illan Meslier, Leeds looked uncharacteristically rattled in the opening stages.

By the time Meslier dropped an eighth-minute long throw-in by Jack Robinson, Vinicius Souza had a wild shot, Struijk had headed Jesurun Rak-Sakyi's cross behind for a corner, and Souza had put a great slide tackle in on Manor Solomon, yet it felt like the goalkeeper who set the first-half tone, at least from his side's perspective.

A minute later Campbell produced an outstanding touch to control the ball, and won a corner with it. Meslier flapped at it, and when Campbell got a glancing touch, Ilan Gruev headed off the line.

But they were not so lucky in the 14th minute.

The Blades built up patiently down the left and when Ben Brereton Diaz cut back onto his right foot to cross, Callum O'Hare headed against the crossbar, Campbell could only touch the rebound against a post from a tight angle, and Meslier scooped it into the net from in front of the line.

That was the moment for a second home game, Leeds looking rattled and without their manager – banned from the touchline – to reassure them.

Joe Rodon was forced to clear as Meslier failed to deal with the next long throw-in, and when Souza made a good midfield interception and found Rak-Sakyi, Peck had two attempts at scoring, but could not.

Peck carried the ball forward well in the 27th minute but his shot was weak.

Junior Firpo stretched out a leg brilliantly to stop O'Hare converting Campbell's ball in.

But the furious football began to run out of a touch of steam and Leeds began to come more into the game, especially when they found Manor Solomon.

Daniel James had an awful strike at goal after doing well to create pace for it, then Solomon produced a brilliant piece of control from a Struijk pass, beat Anel Ahemdhodzic, but shot at Michael Cooper.

His next shot hit the centre-back, but it was clear getting him the ball and allowing him to run at Harry Clarke was the way to go. Clarke was substituted at the break.

If that was not a surprise, the choice of replacement was, ball-playinng midfielder Hamza Choudhury coming on to play that position, and an early interception to stop a Brenden Aaronson pass picking out Firpo will have helped his confidence. In the end, Solomon made way too.

But, helped by better protection from his right-winger – initially Rak-Sakyi, but as the subs came on, it became a rotating cast.

Solomon was much quieter but it did give Firpo more encouragement to get forward, and that would be crucial.

Brereton Diaz played a great pass to Campbell in the 53rd minute and Meslier was able to put on the brakes at just the right time as he threatened to carry the ball out of his area.

Leeds were unlucky to be denied a penalty a minute later, Robinson clattering through the back of James' ankles.

He could have rubbed salt in the wound five minutes later, but well as Rak-Saki did to beat Solomon and deliver the cross, it was just a smidgeon too far for him to direct.

Souza steered a shot Meslier was able to drop onto.

Firpo popped up in the centre-forward position on the hour but was stretching at Tanaka's cross, and headed it over.

It turned out to be a good dress rehearsal, and when James put the ball in 12 minutes later, he got up brilliantly to head an equaliser.

Both teams were having chances, but more were for Leeds.

Souza had a shot saved but quickly after Firpo put over a dangerous cross and before the Blades could properly get it clear, Piroe curled an effort at the goalkeeper.

Cooper saved from Piroe, then brilliantly tipped a curling Willy Gnonto effort over, but it only set Struijk up for more late heroics at a corner for the second Monday running.

The balloon well and truly popped, Piroe thrashing the ball in from outside the area scarcely mattered. It is not as if Leeds need the goal difference.

They are now five points clear and have delivered steel toe-capped kicks in the proverbials to two of their three title rivals.

It felt decisive for Leeds, the Blades must now try to ensure it is not for them.