DERBY DELIGHT!
Hernandez nets winner as Leeds beat Blades
PABLO Hernandez popped up with a late winner as Leeds United took the Yorkshire derby honours against Sheffield United to cement their grip on second place.
Both sides had chances to score before Blades keeper Dean Henderson’s costly error proved decisive.
Henderson tried to play the ball out on the left-hand side of his area after receiving an over-hit pass from John Egan, but succeeded only in playing it straight to Jack Clarke, whose pass found Hernandez in the centre and he fired into the unguarded net.
Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa said: “If the final result had been a draw, we couldn’t say that it would be an unfair result. We played against a serious opponent.”
Leaders Norwich beat Rotherham 3-1, while in-form Aston Villa saw off Middlesbrough 3-0 at the Riverside.
AMISTAKE by Sheffield United goalkeeper Dean Henderson gifted Leeds a late winner at their promotion rivals.
Both sides had chances to score before Henderson’s costly error resulted in Pablo Hernandez scoring the all-important goal in the 82nd minute.
Henderson tried to play the ball out on the left-hand side of his area after receiving an over-hit pass from John Egan, but succeeded only in playing it straight to Jack Clarke, whose pass found Hernandez in the centre and he fired into the unguarded net.
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder said: “We’ve made a big mistake and we have to accept that. Dean Henderson is a big boy and he’ll get on with it. I’m not going to rub his head for him. It’s part and parcel of being a professional footballer and especially a goalkeeper.”
The hosts had applied some early pressure with David McGoldrick forcing the first save of the match when his low drive saw Bailey Peacock-Farrell getting down to his right to turn the ball wide.
Leeds head coach Marcelo Bielsa had to make a change in defence midway through the half when Liam Cooper limped off. The skipper was replaced by Aapo Halme.
Halme was soon involved in the action, forcing a fine save from Henderson.
Billy Sharp had a chance to score when he got on the end of a cross from McGoldrick,
putting his downward header off target. Then Henderson was called into action to save a low 20-yard shot from Clarke.
After evading several challenges, Mateusz Klich also tested Henderson with a low shot that was parried by the keeper.
Peacock-Farrell came to his side’s rescue when he saved McGoldrick’s shot with his legs.
At the other end, Kemar Roofe put a near-post header a fraction wide after meeting a cross from Stuart Dallas.
Hernandez also had a shot saved by Henderson late on.
Conor Washington was desperately unlucky to see his overhead kick come back off the bar in time added on. Wilder added: “I thought it was a really good game. Credit to them in their approach. From the start of the season, it has been positive.
“There was no way they were going to come and sit back. I thought it was a similar approach from our point of view as well and maybe it was going to be decided by a bit of magic, taking a chance or a mistake and, unfortunately for us, it’s the final one.
“We had bigger periods in the game than them and in those you’ve got to find a goal.
“It was a proper game of football, with tackles going in, although I thought the referee had a really poor game. Some of the decisions were headscratching.
“We deserved something from the game but we haven’t got it and that’s the harsh realities of this fixture.”
Bielsa said that a tactical switch played a vital role.
He said: “There was a very important moment. My colleague Pablo Quiroga told me to switch the position between Kemar Roofe and Pablo Hernandez and, from that moment on, the play of the team improved. But if the final result had been a draw, we couldn’t say that it would be an unfair result.
“We had to defend a lot today. When we started playing out, we just played long-balls from our goalkeeper and it’s not a good thing. Because we played like that, we shared the possession with the opponents.
“The opponents dominated at the beginning of the game and at the end of the game, but between these two moments, without being excellent, we did an interesting performance.
“We had more chances to score than the opponents.
“It is not convenient to make comparisons with other teams at this moment in the season. What I can say is that we played against a serious opponent. I’m always happy when I win and if this result puts us at the top of the table, even better.”