Daniel Farke watches Leeds United grow as Sheffield United reflect on falling just short

Even without being on the Bramall Lane gantry, banished by a touchline ban which ridiculously stopped him talking to Sky pitchside, Leeds manager Daniel Farke sees bigger pictures. So rather than declaring victory in his two-year quest to get the Whites back into the Premier League, he hailed a landmark night in their development.

For hosts who in the first half-hour made Leeds look more vulnerable than most this season, it was a reminder they are very good but despite what the won/drawn/lost columns of the Championship table said at kick-off, not at their level.

"Watch this," said Chris Wilder, scrunching his bottle of water open and watching it spill out as he began his press conference. Maybe Leeds got him used to feeling inevitability.

Now the points column has Farke’s men five ahead with 12 games to play. That can turn if a good week for the hunters coincides with a bad one for the hunted, especially as knee surgery has cast doubt on whether Leeds captain Ethan Ampadu will play again this season.

It was not about the maths but the psychology of back-to-back wins. That both were over title rivals, the only football on TV each Monday, guaranteed plenty of Championship eyeballs received a clear message.

At home to Sunderland, Leeds pushed and pushed after conceding against the run of play but had to wait until added time for a reward.

Sheffield United's lead went with the flow of an intense, energetic Bramall Lane-fuelled bombardment. Illan Meslier’s own goal ramped up the R rate of nervousness started by the goalkeeper dropping an eighth-minute long throw-in and spread by his performance from there.

Leeds had to find a way without Farke on the touchline or Ampadu inside it to calm them. They did.

Left-back Junior Firpo went all Bob Latchford or Joe Jordan, as Wilder put it – if you do not know ask your dad or maybe granddad.

Pascal Struijk did it again at a late corner – only the 89th minute this time, and with the decisive header expertly measured by Ao Tanaka.

Joel Piroe's thrashed third was a glorious/demoralising irrelevance but the previous 180-plus minutes a huge character reference.

"Once you're in a losing position and the stadium is buzzing, these are experiences which let your players grow," said Farke.

"I would have preferred a better start from them, definitely, but I have to say the reaction was second to none – pretty mature and calm.

"For the development of my team and the confidence of my players it was definitely important.

"Even before Sunderland the confidence level was high but such a win is always important and brings you into an even more relaxed mood.

"Perhaps we were a bit too relaxed in the first 25 minutes but after that you could see the belief you can turn difficult games. If you've done it before it's always easier to believe."

No full-back has more assists in this season's Championship than Firpo, and his goal did not dispel the idea he is better going forward than back, but his tackle to stop Callum O'Hare making it 2-0 was vital.

"Perhaps it was the wake-up call we needed to say, 'Come on, let's not be scared, let's play football,'" was Farke's take on his team's start.

Manor Solomon became a pest and when the Blades started better supporting their right-back – changed at half-time from the injured Harry Clarke to Hamza Choudhury – it made Firpo bombing on less risky.

He could not quite get high enough over Tanaka's cross on the hour but hung Latchford/Jordanesque over Daniel James' in the 72nd minute. One-one.

Then Struijk flicked on Joe Rothwell's corner and Tanaka guided his header from outside one post to the small space between Sydie Peck and the far corner of the net.

It was tough to take for the Blades, but no time for recriminations.

"I'm not going to beat them up," promised Wilder. "I should imagine for the neutral it was a good game to watch. I'm not neutral.

"I think they'll recognise that was pretty tough game for them. But we fell a little bit short and it was just the manner of the goals, really.

"Monday was always going to be (about) putting yourself in a better position and they've put themselves into a better position than we have.

"I've been in it long enough to know the season's not over because we've lost a game of football to an outstanding team."

Farke evoked ghosts of the past to spook his players into humility.

"In the last 25 years we have just been promoted just one time to the Premier League, and (had) three seasons in the Premier League," he reminded, albeit on the latter point it was only 21 years. "This is what I want to change."

Plenty of Leeds teams of that era fell apart under that expectation. Big tests are still to come, but this side looks made of stronger stuff.