Daily Mail

UNBREAKABL­E

Blades so switched on since Wilder played video nasty

- RICHARD GIBSON at Elland Road

LEEDS 0 SHEFFIELD UNITED 1 Basham 71

Chris Basham says sheffield United have been flying in the Championsh­ip promotion race thanks to Chris Wilder making them watch a video replay of their defensive collapse at aston Villa five weeks ago.

some choice words from manager Wilder accompanie­d the viewing of the meek surrender of a three-goal lead at Villa Park, but they had the desired effect: seven consecutiv­e clean sheets have followed Villa’s 90th-minute equaliser and Basham’s breakaway winner against Leeds on saturday saw the Yorkshire rivals vying for a top-two finish switch places with eight games remaining.

‘he dug a lot of people out and i was one of them,’ Basham said. ‘he asked us why we were making certain decisions. as footballer­s, we can all be a bit vulnerable at times. But that really put us back on it.’

‘i think the situation is helping us to spread our wings. There are no heavy shirts in there, as the gaffer might say.’

in a contest played in teeming rain, the 30- year- old Basham — deployed as a makeshift midfielder in an attempt to stymy Leeds’ forward ventures — guaranteed his club a play-off finish as a bare minimum by steering past the advancing Kiko Casilla.

The only goal was also the only shot on target in a contest that ended with the last-minute dismissal of Leeds’ spanish goalkeeper Casilla, for hauling down Billy sharp outside his area.

Before the match, both Wilder and marcelo Bielsa, the Leeds boss, downplayed the significan­ce of this result in the quest for a return to the Premier League.

But Basham, who has previously played in the top flight for Bolton and Blackpool, said: ‘There are a lot of lads in the dressing room who are destined to go all the way to the top and hopefully it’s with sheffield United. We just feel unbreakabl­e.’

The advantage the Blades hold heading into the internatio­nal break is a point, and serial play- off participan­t Patrick Bamford — one of those guilty of squanderin­g chances for the hosts — warned of the perils of over-confidence as a Leeds team accustomed to setting the pace this season enter the home straight with destiny no longer in their own hands.

‘hearing the sheffield boys, it was as if they think they are already up. Eight games to go is a lot of points to play for and nothing is written in stone yet,’ Bamford said.

‘if someone puts together eight straight wins, take your hat off to them. There will be twists and turns.’

 ?? REX FEATURES ?? On the up: Basham has faith in the Blades’ fine form
REX FEATURES On the up: Basham has faith in the Blades’ fine form
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