Pascal Struijk’s last-gasp header against Sunderland highlighted a number of things about this Leeds United team – resilience, determination and the ability to problem-solve under pressure to name a few.
Many supporters at Elland Road described the atmosphere as the best since the 3-1 win over Leicester City almost a year ago, when another late turnaround was staged. Goals in the final quarter of the game have become somewhat of a theme this season, particularly at home.
In the five home matches they have played in the Championship since the turn of the new year, seven of their 15 goals have come in the 78th-minute or later. Struijk’s 95th-minute winner was actually not the latest goal scored by Leeds this season.
Ao Tanaka’s heel flick in the 3-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday exactly a month ago came in the 96th minute – but Struijk’s effort could be the most crucial yet this season.
There are sliding-door moments in every season, and that last-gasp goal on Monday felt significant, perhaps seismic. The goal took Leeds back top to the top of the table and, more importantly, seven points ahead of Burnley in third-place and the play-offs with 13 fixtures left.
Speaking after full-time, Joe Rodon agreed that the team’s conditioning and fitness played a role in United’s win over Sunderland, stating with a smile that Daniel Farke “loves” to work the squad hard in pre-season.
The manager refrained from branding this squad as the most focused he has worked with in his career when asked, due to the fact that the job is not yet done. Next Monday’s visit to Sheffield United is a six-pointer in the title race but Farke might suggest the final 12 games are too.
He knows how consistent and resilient a team must be in order to secure promotion, having done so twice with Norwich City and having suffered a painful play-off final loss last season after stumbling through the run-in period.
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