Title Not Decided In Spotlight Games — Farke — BBC 23/2/25

Leeds United boss Daniel Farke has echoed the sentiments of Sheffield United counterpart Chris Wilder in saying that Monday's game will not be a title-decider.

The Whites visit Bramall Lane two points clear of the second-placed Blades.

This will be the final time Leeds play one of the other three teams in the current top four, while their South Yorkshire rivals will still have to play third-placed Burnley in April.

"It's too early to be a title-decider - there are still so many games to play. It's not matchday 44," Farke told BBC Radio Leeds.

"You know I don't think the league is decided in these spotlight games. It's nice for the broadcasters and the supporters but to finish top you have to show consistency

"Last season we won the two games against Leicester and the two games against Ipswich but they play in the Premier League now.

"The everyday work is crucial to be successful in this league and not to just be good in one special game.

"Nothing is decided after this game. Even after this game there are so many points to play for, this is just another chance to win points for your tally."

Leeds finished third with 90 points last season behind champions Leicester and second-placed Ipswich.

The West Yorkshire side are already on 72 points from just 33 games so far this campaign, while the Blades would also be on that number if they had not started the season with a two-point deduction for defaulting on payments to other clubs during the 2022-23 season.

Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield: "I'd be astounded if any team in our division wins the next 13 games. Everyone talks about two points per game, we are on course for that and so are other teams.

"If you are talking about the second, third or fourth last game of the season, you could say that has swung it the way of one team or the other, I'd understand that."

Leeds have no new injury concerns after their 2-1 win over fourth-placed Sunderland on Monday, while the Blades are hopeful strikers Kieffer Moore and Tom Cannon could be available to return.

The former has not featured since 1 January because of a hernia, while Cannon missed last Saturday's 1-0 win at lowly Luton with an ankle knock.

Whites will have to be at best against 'outstanding' Blades

This is just the second time the teams in first and second place in the Championship have played one another this season and the first since Sunderland hosted Burnley back in August.

Farke, who led Norwich to the second tier title in 2018-19 when Wilder's Blades also went up, praised the job the 57-year-old is doing.

"I've rated them even earlier in the season and they have not proved me wrong, together with us they are the best side in the league so far," he said.

"They are playing an outstanding season with a top manager and top individual players. They have a good balance of defensive behaviour and lots of individual quality of players who can score goals at the other end.

"They have been able to win many, many tight games and this is also a sign of quality. If you always find a way to win close games.

"Chris Wilder has forged a great unity and a team who shows great consistency with an unbelievable amount of points after this amount of games."

He added: "It is one of the toughest places you can go. I'm looking forward to being in competition with them. We know we have to be at our best."

Wilder looks ahead to facing Leeds

Leeds beat their Yorkshire rivals 2-0 at Elland Road when the two teams met for the first time in October.

Wilder said after that game that they were the best side his team had faced this season.

He believes his side are going up against one of the biggest clubs in English football.

"They're a top six Premier League club. I read an article the other day about who is the bigger club between Newcastle and Leeds and it is a toss of a coin for me. I'm not trying to wind anyone up, that's how it is," said Wilder.

"They're a huge, historic football club that has won a load of things in the past. They could get 50,000 in their ground if they had the capacity to do that.

"They attract good players, they invest in the team and there is pressure on them to win games.

"When you play huge football clubs things do go up a notch. We're playing a team that's a powerhouse of English football."