Defender Chris Basham has admitted the Sheffield United players were “happy” when Leeds United succumbed to defeat at QPR last week.
Leeds subsequently bounced back by demolishing West Brom to regain control of a top-two spot, with their Yorkshire rivals left in third place on Monday as a third Steel City derby in a row finished goalless.
Basham explained how Sheffield United had taken encouragement from Leeds’ defeat at Loftus Road, a game that helps keep the race for the automatic promotion places a nailbiting one.
“We were all happy with the (Leeds) result at QPR,” Basham said as quoted by the Yorkshire Evening Post. “It’s just the way the games are going.
“Everybody is stepping up to the plate. I think it’s going to go quite far to the end. We’re not ones to calculate what you need here and there. I think it’s a case of trying to win as many games as we can and make our home ground a fortress – not get beaten away if we can and win as many as we can at home.
“No-one is going to win every game. If they do, fair play to them, they deserve to go up, but I don’t think everyone will. We’ve still got to go to Leeds yet and, hopefully, we can go there and beat them.”
OPINION
With two points separating the Yorkshire big hitters in the Championship table, Leeds and the Blades are heading for a potentially decisive showdown at Elland Road a week on Saturday. Leeds are back in the driving seat following their demolition job at Elland last Friday, a magnificent performance that showcased everything that is so impressive about Marcelo Bielsa’s side. Leeds have punched above their weight this season, in the context of a mid-table transfer and playing budget, but they must bow even to their Yorkshire rivals in that regard, with Chris Wilder’s side maintaining the promotion pace despite a shoestring budget. Great credit to them and a manager who has worked absolute wonders at Bramall Lane, and has the respect of Bielsa, who spoke warmly of Wilder and the job he has done before the club’s played earlier this season on 1 December, a match in which Leeds triumphed 1-0