MX23RW : Wednesday, August 5 18:20:28| >> :600:252488:252488:
Oct 26, 2019 at 12.30pm UK at Hillsborough
Attendance: 27,516
Sheff WedsSheffield Wednesday
0-0
LeedsLeeds United
FT

Result: Sheffield Wednesday, Leeds both miss chance to move top in derby stalemate

Result: Sheffield Wednesday, Leeds both miss chance to move top in derby stalemate
© Reuters
Kiko Casilla was in fine form for Marcelo Bielsa's side.

Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds both spurned the chance to take over at the top of the Sky Bet Championship as they fought out the first goalless draw between the sides for 50 years.

A win for either team would have seen them depose West Brom as leaders – although the Owls required a two-goal advantage. Instead, the Yorkshire rivals were forced to settle for a point apiece in an entertaining encounter at a rain-soaked Hillsborough.

The game started awkwardly for Wednesday manager Garry Monk, who was in charge of Leeds for the 2016-17 season, as he was forced into a change before kick-off when centre-back Julien Borner turned his ankle in the warm-up.

It resulted in midfielder Sam Hutchinson dropping back to partner Dominic Iorfa at the heart of the back four, with Joey Pelupessy stepping off the bench to fill the vacant slot in midfield.

There were a couple of moments in the first half when Hutchinson looked suspect, never more so than in added time, helping to gift Leeds what proved to be their only chance during the opening 45 minutes.

Jack Harrison's cross with the outside of his left foot picked out Patrick Bamford at the far post, as the striker had pulled away from marker Hutchinson, only for his goal-bound header to be brilliantly turned away by Keiren Westwood.

Up until then, Leeds had dominated in terms of possession, yet despite their inventive approach play they failed to carve out anything of note in attack.

Instead, it was Wednesday who created chances, notably with Adam Reach denied by a timely challenge from Ben White in the 10th minute and Kiko Casilla superbly turning away strikes from Liam Palmer and Steven Fletcher in the 14th and 44th minutes.

Despite Leeds' paucity of chances, arguably they could have been awarded a 20th-minute penalty when Atdhe Nuhiu appeared to pull White down by his arm, but referee Tim Robinson was unmoved.

After Kalvin Phillips had curled a 24-yarder just wide early in the second period, Wednesday came within a whisker of breaking the deadlock, only for Fletcher to strike the crossbar with a first-time effort in meeting Morgan Fox's threaded pass, with the ball then cannoning off the back of Casilla to safety to United's relief.

On the hour Leeds were lucky again as they should have been reduced to 10 men when Eddie Nketiah, on for Bamford at half-time, clearly elbowed Pelupessy in the left eye, but the incident was missed by the officials.

The visitors continued to ride the crest of good fortune five minutes later when Fletcher somehow contrived to spurn an open goal with a sidefoot effort from inside the six-yard box after being teed up by a piercing left-wing cross from skipper Barry Bannan.

Leeds finally conjured another chance in the 73rd minute, but Nketiah's angled 12-yard drive was straight at Westwood, sparking a spell that saw Fox clear off the line from Harrison, and Ezgjan Alioski planting a header against the right-hand post.

Wednesday then responded, with Casilla make two further excellent saves to deny Kadeem Harris and Nuhiu, ensuring the spoils were shared.

ID:376366:
Share this article now:
Did you know...?
Mohamed Salah in action for Liverpool on September 17, 2019
Read Next:
News Extra: Barnes backs Liverpool, Morelos 'to cost £20m', Leeds 'in for Ferguson'
>
Latest Sports Video
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free match previews newsletter! Updates are sent twice a week.

rhs 2.0
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
CLeeds UnitedLeeds46289977354293
4Cardiff CityCardiff4619161168581073
5Swansea CitySwansea461816126253970
6Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest461816125850870
7Millwall461717125751668
8Preston North EndPreston461812165954566
9Derby CountyDerby461713166264-264
10Blackburn RoversBlackburn461712176663363
11Bristol City461712176065-563
RWigan AthleticWigan461514175756159
13Queens Park RangersQPR461610206776-958
14Reading461511205958156
15Stoke CityStoke46168226268-656
16Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds461511205866-856
17Middlesbrough461314194861-1353
18Huddersfield TownHuddersfield461312215270-1851
19Luton TownLuton46149235482-2851
20Birmingham CityBirmingham461214205475-2150
21Barnsley461213214969-2049
RCharlton AthleticCharlton461212225065-1548
RHull City46129255787-3045

Subscribe to our Newsletter


Transfer Talk Daily
Match previews - twice weekly
Morning Briefing (7am UTC)
Ultra close-up image of Kevin De Bruyne [NOT FOR USE IN ARTICLES]Get the latest transfer news, match previews and news direct to your inbox!