Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder cites Leeds United's 'incredible' night as Blades inspiration

The Blades are suffering a torrid season in the Premier League and sit rock bottom with just 14 points from their 28 games so far. Wilder was brought in for a second spell in charge back in December, after ex-Leeds boss Paul Heckingbottom was sacked at Bramall Lane. But 10 losses from his 16 games have left Sheffield United in just as difficult a place as when Wilder's predecessor departed and relegation looks probable, if not certain.

Wilder is convinced that the good times will return, however, and as much as he admits heaping praise on near-neighbours is not something he likes to make a habit of, he takes heart from what Leeds are doing in the Championship after their own horrible year in the top flight. The Whites finished the 2022/23 campaign second bottom of the table, having gone through three managers in Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia and Sam Allardyce, five points adrift of safety. Only Southampton, with 25 points, finished below Leeds. And a group of players who were lambasted by their own support after an away day capitulation at Bournemouth and roundly criticised after relegation, quickly broke up as many exercised escape clauses in their contracts to secure loans abroad.

Since then, though, Daniel Farke has turned things around and Elland Road has become both a fortress - Leeds are unbeaten there all season so far - and a fun place to be. The Whites are riding a 13-game unbeaten run in the Championship and have won 12 of those games, to now sit top of the table as the season begins to turn the corner onto the home straight. One of the highlights of their magnificent 2024 streak was a 3-1 win at home to then-leaders Leicester, with all three goals coming after the 83rd minute. Wilder could not help but be impressed by the sights and sounds of Elland Road on that night.

“I look at Leeds United, who got relegated last year and a lot of the narrative would be very, very negative," Wilder said, as reported by the YEP's sister title The Sheffield Star. “I think you saw that game when they played against Leicester and what that looked like – and it was incredible. I’m not one to talk about rivals, especially in my own county, favourably. But you’ve got to say the atmosphere that night at Elland Road against Leicester was absolutely rocking and bouncing. So we will get it back to where we want it to be here at Bramall Lane."