Sheffield United will have Burnley FC worry after Leeds United exploits | OneFootball

The Blades were beaten in the battle of the top two on Monday evening, and the Clarets remain just two points behind them.

Sheffield United were beaten late on by Leeds United on Monday evening, as the top two in the Championship did battle at Bramall Lane.

Ao Tanaka's 89th-minute header handed the Whites the lead in the final moments after Illan Meslier had put the ball into the back of the net early in the game, before Junior Firpo responded with an excellent headed effort of his own in the second half.

Joel Piroe sealed victory just moments after his side had taken the lead with a stunning strike from distance, handing Daniel Farke's team control of the title race and taking them seven points clear of Burnley in third place.

Defeat for Sheffield United has left them vulnerable to the Clarets, who have not conceded since 21 December, and Chris Wilder will be looking over his shoulder in the coming weeks.

Burnley will have Sheffield United worried

The Blades had won seven of their last eight games before facing Leeds on Monday, but the nature of the Championship promotion race this season means that any dropped points will more than likely be capitalised on.

Had Sheffield United won, they would have extended their gap over Burnley back to five points, but after the Clarets ran out 4-0 winners at home to Sheffield Wednesday on Friday evening, momentum could swing in the next few weeks.

Scott Parker's side have not lost a league game since the start of November, and their defensive strength has been extraordinary. They have conceded just nine goals all season in the Championship, and a run of 12 straight clean sheets has allowed the Lancashire club to remain in the hunt for a top two finish.

This consistency will have the Blades worried, especially as they have now been beaten twice at home in their last four matches at Bramall Lane. The two face each other on 21 April in the third to last game of the season at Turf Moor and the clash could decide the fate of both sides.

Momentum is huge in football, particularly when two sides are as closely matched as Burnley and Sheffield United are and Wilder will have fears of being caught by the most defensively disciplined team in the league.

Sheffield United must not dwell on Leeds defeat

Despite the pressure that will be felt by the Clarets' presence, Wilder cannot allow his team to dwell on the loss to Leeds and they must hit back against QPR on Saturday.

Burnley are on FA Cup duty this weekend, and therefore the Blades can create a five-point buffer to their promotion rivals once again. This will only put pressure on the Clarets to get a result against Cardiff City in the days after and close back up to the top two.

Sheffield United have the quality to come back and get a result at Loftus Road, but the R's are a formidable opponent and they will not be easily beaten.

With 12 games to go in the Championship, the promotion picture is starting to become clearer, with Leeds now going clear at the top while Sunderland have dropped off the pace and it is crucial that the South Yorkshire side do not allow Burnley a chance to overtake them.