The last Friday night Championship game on Sky Sports was an undisputed classic, as Leeds were denied a win late on at Sunderland after a moment for the ages.
It was a game that had everything under the lights, and the first second-tier fixture after the international break promises much of the same, as Leeds host unbeaten Sheffield United – with both having designs on taking Sunderland’s spot at the top of the Championship.
Here, we look at some of the talking points ahead of the pivotal clash…
An emotional night at Elland Road
It will undoubtedly be an emotional night, too, as the Blades pay tribute to former club hero George Baldock – who tragically passed away last week aged just 31.
Baldock left Bramall Lane after seven years in the summer, having played an integral role from full-back in two promotions to the Premier League. His untimely passing left boss Chris Wilder, who brought him to the club in 2017, feeling “stunned and numb”.
The Blades are on the road for their next two games, and will pay their respects to Baldock at Bramall Lane next Saturday.
The top of the table
How will Meslier respond from his error?
It was a howler that went viral. An error from Illan Meslier that will no doubt have caused him sleepless nights since.
Somehow, the Leeds goalkeeper completely mistimed a standard catch from a Sunderland set-piece with virtually the last kick of the game, seeing his side’s hopes of all three points literally slip away.
Leeds have experienced stopper Karl Darlow waiting in the wings, but Daniel Farke will no doubt back his No 1. He has still conceded just seven goals in nine games this season and kept five clean sheets. Meslier also has the second best clean-sheet percentage of any Championship goalkeeper since 2004 – with 30 in 63 appearances.
The international break came at the worst time for Meslier. No doubt he would have preferred a game the very next Tuesday night to try and move on, but instead he has had a fortnight to dwell on how what happened, happened.
It will be fascinating to see how he responds, even if Farke was keen to downplay the situation in his pre-match press conference.
“He’s experienced,” said the Leeds boss. “We didn’t have to analyse it too much. It was a situation – it happens once in a lifetime. Most disappointed player in the dressing room [was Meslier]. You’re suffering for two or three days, then you get on with it.”
Sky Sports pundit Andy Hinchcliffe, meanwhile, told the Essential EFL podcast he believes it could actually have a galvanising impact at Leeds.
“In a weird way, it could actually bring the dressing room closer,” he said on the Championship Catch-up.
“Yes, it’s cost them a couple of points, but it’s the human aspect of it. The players can rally around [Meslier] because they know it could have been them who made the error.
“So the dressing room could get stronger as a result as everyone pulls together.”
Wilder has his sharpness back with the Blades
Wilder and Sheffield United just fit hand in hand. After underwhelming stints at Middlesbrough and Watford dented his reputation in the second tier, he returned to the Blades last season and looks back to his best.
He was unable to halt their collapse towards relegation, but this season he has reinvigorated the side, and he looks back to the figure he was a few years ago, when they stormed to promotion and then finished in the top half of the Premier League.
The system is slightly different. The centre-backs are no longer overlapping, and a 5-3-2 with a functional midfield has become a free-flowing 4-2-3-1.
Wilder and his side have already blown away a two-point deduction handed to them at the start of the season. It is the only thing keeping them off the top of the league.
Gnonto stepping up to the fore
It is easy to forget Wilfried Gnonto is still only 20 years of age.
Gary Neville, after all, once lauded him as looking like ‘a Manchester City winger’ during his time in the Premier League, and considering he is an Italy international with 13 caps, it is a real surprise to see him spend a second season in the Championship.
At the start of last campaign following Leeds’ relegation he wanted away, but eventually knuckled down to secure his spot in the side. This season, following the departures of Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter, he is their key attacking cog with two goals and four assists to his name already.
He will need to produce Summerville-like output if he is to get Leeds and himself back into the Premier League, particularly as the rest of their attacking line-up continues to shape and gel around him. Largie Ramazani has looked very promising on the left since his arrival, and Joel Piroe got his first goal as a starter after three off the bench against Sunderland as a striker.
You may not see Gnonto stepping up to take a penalty anytime soon, however! He blazed one over the bar for Italy’s U21s this week.
A Sheff Utd midfield of skill and steel
Whereas Sheffield United’s old style under Wilder relied on a functional workhorse of a midfield to support the rest of the system, they now take all their creativity from the middle of the park.
Gustavo Hamer has been sensational on his return to the second tier. He has all the makings of a Premier League midfielder and has contributed four goals an an assist already.
He also has an brilliant relationship with Callum O’Hare from their time at Coventry, who provides real flair in attacking midfield having arrived at Bramall Lane in the summer. They have a somewhat symbiotic connection, and can be lethal on the counter-attack.
But there is also a stern base behind them. Vini Souza and Ollie Arblaster offer protection in midfield, ahead of Anel Ahmedhodzic and Harry Souttar. Two centre-backs who are comfortable on the ball, and they are both 6ft 4in plus. It is not a huge surprise that Sheffield United are still unbeaten and have conceded just three goals all season.
Will either take top spot from Sunderland?
With Sunderland not in action until Sunday, when they head to Hull City live on Sky Sports Football, this is a chance for either of these sides to become new leaders.
Leeds would need to win by three clear goals, but a victory of any kind would at least take them level with the Black Cats and Sheffield United on 19 points.
The Blades, belying their two-point deduction, need just a point to hop above the Black Cats. There is no doubting, however, that Wilder will want all three. Just as he managed on both his previous two trips to Elland Road.
It is set to be a fascinating encounter. Build-up gets under way on Sky Sports Football on Friday night at 7pm.