Sheffield United vs Leeds United – Preview | OneFootball

Monday evening sees second place Sheffield United host top of the league Leeds United, under the floodlights at Bramall Lane in what is set up to be one of the best games of the Championship season.

The Blades come into this game against their Yorkshire rivals with six wins in their last seven, and they’re gunning for five consecutive victories, which would take them top of the league on Monday night.

Meanwhile, the West Yorkshire club head to South Yorkshire in fantastic form having not lost in the Championship since late November. And they certainly left it late in their previous game to keep that streak alive. Against Sunderland, Leeds boss Daniel Farke made a bunch of changes in the second half, and thanks to two subs he brought on in the 71st minute – Pascal Struijk and Joe Rothwell.

A couple of excellent deliveries into the box from Rothwell found Struijk, twice, and after the equaliser in the 78th minute, the Whites stole all the points in the 95th minute, sending Elland Road into a frenzy.

Flashback

Chris Basham celebrating his winning goal against Leeds United at Elland Road in the 18/19 season, which led to the collapse of Leeds that season.

The buildup for this game eerily reminds me of the 2018/19 campaign. Granted, it was the battle for second while this one is a huge game in terms of potentially winning the league.

Before that game in 18/19, the Whites sat in second with a two-point advantage over third place Sheffield United, and the media built up Leeds United to be a juggernaut that would crush the Blades. But, United had other ideas.

After weathering the storm for most of the match at Elland Road, the visitors made a swift attack count as Billy Sharp held the ball up and weighted a perfect pass into the path of Chris Basham with 20 minutes or so to go. And the Blades legend finished expertly into the bottom corner to the tune of “Basham’s arriving”. This would be the only goal of the game and it meant United leapfrogged Leeds with only a month or so remaining of the season.

Team News

Chris Wilder is confident that all three of Gustavo Hamer, Tom Cannon and Kieffer Moore will be available for Monday night’s blockbuster clash.

Daniel Farke doesn’t have many injuries to contend with, however he remains without Max Wober and Patrick Bamford, but both have been on the fringe of the squad anyway.

Sheffield United’s Impact Player For This Game

Gustavo Hamer of Sheffield United dribbling with the ball against Oxford United midfielder Will Vaulks in the game at Bramall Lane. (Image Credit: Sheffield United Football Club).

In big games you need your best players to turn up if you want to win, and Gustavo Hamer certainly did that against Middlesbrough before going off injured with a minor hamstring injury.

The attacking midfielder almost single-handedly drove the Blades forward in the first half of that game, spraying passes across the pitch and even nutmegging a couple of players in tight areas.

While he didn’t register a goal or assist in the 3-1 win over Boro, he did see a lot of the ball, registering a total of 64 touches. And he was positive whenever he touched the ball, completing three out of four long balls, five of eleven successful dribbles, and a key pass.

Although he had a 0% cross success rate, he did whip in eight crosses. With a player like Hamer I’m okay with this because what the stats don’t measure is the pressure his delivery puts on the defence to clear the ball. So at times, you must contextualise metrics. If it was eight crosses just lofted into the air with zero pace then of course that’s poor. But, if it’s being fizzed in and curling awkwardly then it’s those types of deliveries you’re happy with.

If Hamer can replicate a similar level of performance on Monday evening then it will certainly increase the chances of Sheffield United walking away with a victory over Leeds.

Leeds United’s Impact Player For This Game

WATFORD, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 11: Ao Tanaka of Leeds celebrates the fourth goal during the Sky Bet Championship match between Watford FC and Leeds United FC at Vicarage Road on February 11, 2025 in Watford, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

It’s difficult to single out just one Leeds United player as the biggest impact player for this game, but my choice is going to be Ao Tanaka. The midfielder is so smart on and off the ball, and he has great mobility to get vertical and side to side, and in my eyes, he is one of the most complete midfielders I’ve seen at this level for a good few years.

Tanaka fits perfectly into this Daniel Farke 4-2-3-1 because he can beat the press on his own just by simply dropping into the back line, demanding the ball, shifting it either to the right-back or left-back, and that creates a massively disjointed press. We actually saw this against the Blades in the reverse fixture which then left the base of United’s midfield and the defence largely exposed.

The Japanese midfielder has a 90% pass success rate this season, which is one of the highest in the league by far versus Championship midfielders. But it’s not just passing for the sake of it, such as just completing sideways passes in his own half. He shifts the ball at tempo, and he is a progressive monster who averages eight progressive passes per game.

His work without the ball is equally impressive. He averages just over four successful tackles and interceptions per game, along with a 60% aerial success rate – 80th percentile. Additionally, he makes over six ball recoveries per game; he picks up the loose ball and then recycles the attack, making it a non-stop wave of pressure.

My Prediction

Not only do Leeds United create the most out of anyone else in the division, they also have the second-highest conversion rate in the league, so it is going to be a difficult night for United’s defence and goalkeeper, you would imagine.

As good as the Whites are on the ball, averaging the most possession in the league (61%), they are also excellent at setting up in a solid shape and then winning the ball back and capitalising on fast-break opportunities. Ten of their goals this term have come via this route – the highest total in the league.

And even if you defend superbly for most of the night, as Sunderland did, they have quality options off the bench that can make an impact. The only team that have had more players score from sub appearances is Sheffield Wednesday.

I do see a scenario where Leeds absolutely batter the Blades for a thirty-minute or so period, but I don’t see the home side caving in easily, because when these big games have mattered in the past under Chris Wilder, they have produced when it matters the most over the years.

My prediction is a one-all draw where Leeds take the lead in the first thirty minutes of the game and Sheffield United flip the switch in the second half.

All stats taken from FBref and Opta.