UK Edition
Jack Harrison scores winner as Leeds take advantage of Sheffield United's slip up
Leeds 1 Sheffield Wednesday 0
Jack Harrison plundered a goal that could be worth its weight in Premier League gold as Leeds took full advantage of Sheffield United’s slip-up earlier in the day in the race for automatic promotion.
In front of an Elland Road at its fevered best, Harrison, the midfielder on loan from Manchester City, steered home a winner in the 65th minute that could see his current club join his parent one in the top flight next season.
Following on from the Blades’ 1-1 draw at home to relegation-threatened Millwall, Leeds now have a three-point cushion over their rivals from South Yorkshire with just four games to go.
There is an old Spanish adage of which Leeds’ Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa must be familiar that says you must suffer to win, and it was certainly the case again here.
Bielsa watched as numerous chances came and went but he could celebrate Harrison’s goal, although the veteran coach was reluctant to call it decisive in the battle with Sheffield United.
“We created ten chances, but only scored one,” he said. “As a result, we had to stay focused right until the end.
“It is still tight. There are 12 points yet to play for and we only have three points over our closest pursuers.”
Leeds know this is a wonderful opportunity, having spent all season in and around the top two, and they remember well the painful memories of previous failed play-off campaigns should the clock stop with them in third spot.
Those emotions were experienced in the bars of this famous ground before kick-off thanks to events at Bramall Lane, as disappointment at a late missed penalty gave way to joy as Millwall snatched an injury-time equaliser.
Only the agility of Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Keiren Westwood prevented Leeds from taking a first-half lead with a trio of fantastic saves, two from Tyler Roberts and one from Harrison’s header.
When Westwood was beaten, many in the crowd thought Roberts’ curler was in only to drop the wrong side of the post while Gary Hooper was in the right place to clear from Luke Ayling.
Wednesday, with slim play-off hopes of their own, saw Hooper shoot into the side-netting and Barry Bannan denied by a fine stop from Kiko Casilla.
After the interval, Leeds’ search for a goal became more acute and none more so than when Patrick Bamford steered wide from six yards with the ball going in slow motion past the post.
But any frustration was dispelled almost immediately by Harrison as the chance to welcome the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool back here next season gets ever closer.
“Sometimes you have to credit the opposition and I have to say the better team won,” said Wednesday manager Steve Bruce. “Leeds look a very good bet to go up. With basically the same players as 12 months ago, the transformation has been remarkable. You have to take your hat off to them.’’