Hello and welcome to Telegraph Sport’s live coverage of the Yorkshire derby at Elland Road. Leeds United meet Sheffield United, who are playing their first game since the shocking death of their former defender George Baldock at the age of 31.
Baldock was involved the last time these teams met, a Premier League meeting behind closed doors in April 2021. Phil Jagielka’s own goal gave Leeds a 2-1 win against a United team who were well on their way to relegation. Promotion and relegation means the two teams haven’t met since then; that’s also why this is only their 13th league meeting in the last 30 years.
Both teams hope that, should they play each other next season, it’ll be in the Premier League. Sheffield United are second in the Championship, behind the leaders Sunderland on goal difference. Leeds, in fifth, will go above them and possibly Sunderland if they win tonight.
Before the game there will be a minute’s silence in memory of Baldock. “It’s been really difficult,” said the Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder, who brought Baldock to Bramall Lane after working with him at Oxford. “It puts everything into perspective, doesn’t it?
“We’re in the industry of football, we’re football people, but there’s something miles bigger than the game of football on Friday. I’m having to talk about the game, and having to talk about the sad passing of a player that meant so much to everybody here at Sheffield United.
“People don’t realise how close these boys are … They are together five or six days a week, from nine o’clock to half past three, four o’clock, travelling on coaches, training every day, in hotels for away games, so their connection is huge.
“But we have to get on with life, do what’s right and do what George would have wanted us to do, and so we have to crack on now.”
Kick off 8pm.