Sheffield United 1-3 Leeds United: Championship – live reaction | Championship

That’s all for tonight, we’ll leave you with Aaron Bower’s match report – goodnight.

Junior Firpo

We never stopped believing. We started slowly but we know we have a lot of options off the bench and I think they changed the game. We keep going until the end and we got what we deserved.

There are a lot of games still to play. Five points is a good lead and the way we are winning games… it feels like we are on top of everything.

Joel Piroe

The belief was there throughout. We said at half-time, the moment we score one we’ll be able to get the second one as well. We always keep believing.

Leeds move five points clear of Sheffield United, and seven of Burnley, after a memorable win at Bramall Lane. They were in danger of being overwhelmed, particularly after Illan Meslier’s own goal, but they trusted their way of playing and were eventually rewarded in the last 20 minutes.

Junior Firpo equalised with a fine header, Ao Tanaka put them ahead with an even better one and Joel Piroe lashed a third goal to grind sodium chloride into Sheffield United’s wounds. The scoreline is a bit harsh on Sheff Utd, who contributed fully to a terrific game, but Leeds have so much class and eventually it told.

90+4 min: Leeds substitution Sam Byram on for the excellent Jayden Bogle.

90+3 min: Sheff Utd substitution Kieffer Moore replaces Callum O’Hare.

Leeds have clinched victory with a stunning goal. James laid the ball back to Piroe, 20 yards, out, and he lasered a shot with his left foot, that went through the hands of the diving Cooper. That came right off the sweet spot.

Pick. That. Flipper. Out.

The resulting corner was headed across goal towards Tanaka, who watched the bounce and cushioned an eerilly composed header back across goal. Peck, on the line, could only head it into the roof of the net.

Cooper’s save was all in vain!

88 min: What a save by Cooper! This is one of the saves of the season. Gnonto, 25 yards from goal, hits a vicious curler that looks set to sneak into top of the net until Cooper leaps to his left and brushes the ball over the bar with his right hand.

86 min Hamer, on a yellow card, runs through the back of Gnonto and is penalised.

84 min Leeds break four on four, with Piroe on the ball. He makes room for a stinging low shot frtom 20 yards that is pushed away by Cooper, diving low to his left. The Sheffield United defender ensured Piroe didn’t really have an angle for a pass.

83 min: Leeds substitution Willy Gnonto for Manor Salomon.

82 min At the other end James’ shot is blocked by Peck, Firpo’s dangerous cross is kicked away by the keeper Cooper and finally Piroe curls straight into the arms of Cooper. It’s anyone’s game.

82 min The good save is driven beyond the far post and knocked down to Burrows on the edge of the area. He cracks a shot into the ground that is well held to his right by Meslier, who must have seen it late as itr came through the crowd.

81 min Now Sheffield United, who had been relatively passive at 1-0, are pressing for a winner. After a long spell of possession, Burrows wins a corner on the left…

77 min More terrific defending from Rodon, who scurries back to nick the ball off Hamer in the area. He ran onto to a terrific drilled pass from the keeper Cooper, controlled it beautifully on the run and would have had a clear shot but for Rodon.

75 min Big 15 minutes coming up!

74 min: Sheff Utd substitution Tom Davies comes on for Ben Brereton Diaz; that substitution was being planned before the goal.

The tireless Bogle surged down the right and gave the ball to James, who got around Burrows and clipped a good cross into the middle. Firpo arrived late, away from the flat-footed Brereton Diaz, and planted a fine header past Cooper from 10 yards. That’s outstanding play from Firpo, a goal drenched in desire.

Junior Firpo equalises for Leeds!

71 min: Big chance for Joseph! The corner reaches Solomon on the edge of the box. His shot is blocked, as is Rothwell’s follow up, and then Joseph slaps over the bar from 12 yards. There was a lot of people between him and the goal but that was still a big chance, Leeds’ best of the match.

70 min James’ cross deflects behind for a corner. Leeds are still to build pressure for the first time in the second half.

68 min Hamer is booked for a really poor, cynical tackle on Bogle.

67 min Burrows was turning away from the ball and it hit his right arm, which was away from his body but not fully outstretched. It’s hard to be certain but my instinct is that would have been given by Stockley Park’s finest.

66 min Leeds appeal unsuccessfully for a penalty when Bogle’s fierce cross hits the arm of Burrows. I think he’s a bit lucky – in a VAR world that is probably given.

65 min Tanaka is booked for a late tackle on Peck. That’s a bit harsh – Peck cleared the ball and then his momentum took him into Tanaka.

64 min Excellent defending from Rodon, who gets between Cannon and the ball as he tries to run onto a through pass. Sheffield United look the likelier scorers at the moment.

63 min Vini Souza hits a sweet first-time shot from 25 yards that is well held by Meslier, falling to his left. Lovely strike though.

60 min Tanaka’s cross is headed over by Firpo, eight yards out. It was just too high for him to get over the ball; otherwise it would have been an excellent chance.

59 min: Double substitution for Sheff Utd Tom Cannon and Gus Hamer come on for Tyrese Campbell and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.

59 min Rak-Sakyi’s cross is flicked on and headed wide by Robinson beyond the far post. A very tough chance.

58 min: Double substitution for Leeds Mateo Joseph and Joe Rothwell replace Brenden Aaronson and Ilia Gruev. That means Piroe will drop in as the No10.

54 min James goes down in the area after a clumsy challenge from behind by Robinson. The referee says no penalty and Robinson rounds on James, accusing him of diving. There was definitely contact, maybe not enough to knock him off his feet. I’d like to see it again, mind.

53 min A superb break from Sheffield United. Vini Souza waves a lovely outside-of-the-foot pass to release Brereton Diaz two v two. He tries to play in Campbell, and Meslier slides right to the edge of the area to claim the ball. He could easily have handled that outside the area but he judged it perfectly.

51 min Rodon lunges to make a vital last-man challenge on Brereton Diaz after a quick Sheffield United break.

50 min Sheffield United made an aggressive start to the second, as they did the first, but now Leeds are starting to settle into their passing rhythm.

47 min Sheff Utd have an early opportunity for another long throw. This one doesn’t reach Meslier and is forced clear, I think by Tanaka.

46 min Sheffield United get the second half under way. As things stand they are top of the Championship, a point clear of Leeds and five of Burnley.

Half-time substitution Sheffield United are bringing on Hamza Choudhury for Harry Clarke, who was injured just before half-time.

Half-time reading

A fascinating struggle at Bramall Lane. Sheffield United made a fast start and took the lead through an unfortunate own goal by Illan Meslier. It looked like they might overwhelm Leeds, with Meslier looking particularly vulnerable on set-pieces, but Leeds slowly grew into the game and were the dominate side towards half-time.

45+1 min Three minutes of added time. Clarke is okay to continue.