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00:00It's a huge match, how do you approach it?
00:02The game takes care of itself, of course.
00:04No change in our preparation and approach.
00:07Obviously, it's going to be talked about because of the positions of both teams
00:13and how their seasons have gone so far.
00:16So, yeah, I think everybody in our camp is really looking forward to it.
00:19You want to play against the best and we're certainly going to be doing that on Monday night.
00:23How do you rate them as a challenge?
00:26What threats do they pose?
00:28The same threats that they pose to everybody else in the division.
00:31Out of possession, in possession.
00:33Players that they've got, players that they've kept.
00:35I know they lost a few players in the summer but recruited very well.
00:39Got a settled side, had a settled side for quite a while.
00:43Talented players, huge football club.
00:46All the things that I've consistently said about them.
00:48I know people think I'm trying to wind people up or playing mind games.
00:52I'm not playing mind games at all.
00:54I'm just recognising that they're a very good team individually,
00:58a very good team collectively.
01:00Got an outstanding manager and, especially recently,
01:05swatting everybody away pretty comfortably.
01:08And they, like Sheffield United at times recently,
01:11have proven that there's different ways to win a football match
01:14if we take their match against Sunderland in isolation.
01:17Getting the job done, as it were.
01:20Yeah, I've been in the game for a long time now.
01:25So when you win things and are successful,
01:28you're challenged all the time.
01:30Challenged by going to different environments,
01:35by playing different styles, by dealing with injuries,
01:39suspensions, loss of form, whatever it is.
01:43Whole challenges right the way through.
01:46I suppose a little bit like a golf course for these top players.
01:49Different challenges when you're playing against players,
01:54whether you're playing the course, whether you're playing the conditions, whatever.
01:56Different challenges right the way through.
01:58And you've got to overcome them.
02:00And Leeds United overcame a very good team on Monday night.
02:07We were all watching it.
02:08And I think everybody was impressed in terms of the quality of the game
02:12and impressed by how they came back late on to win a tight game.
02:20They had possession.
02:21They had more opportunities, more shots at goal.
02:26But they still had to get the points.
02:29So, yeah, I don't get caught up in all that.
02:33This is why the best teams are at the top of the division.
02:36This is why we were 40 points clear of Luton Town,
02:39while we're 25 points clear of certain clubs that were tipped to be in the top two,
02:45while we're 20 points clear of teams that have been in the Premier League in the last two or three years.
02:52This is why the teams are at the top of the division because they overcome challenges.
02:55They overcome setbacks.
02:57They overcome disappointments.
02:59And they keep driving forward.
03:03And me personally, I'm delighted with the group.
03:07We've not been lucky.
03:08Nobody's lucky to win the amount of games that we've won.
03:11Leeds United aren't fortunate to win the amount of games that they've won.
03:15They've done it in a way.
03:16We've done it in our way.
03:18And it's, as I've always said, it's getting through those challenges
03:22and it's an accumulation of points come the end of the season.
03:25And we're on track to accumulate a healthy total.
03:30Victory would set the title race alive, wouldn't it?
03:33Goodness me.
03:35There's a quarter of the season to go.
03:39I was looking through it last night in terms of the fixtures that we've got.
03:43We've got some huge challenges ahead.
03:45And, as I said, there's 30-odd points to play for.
03:58I scratch my head at times when I'm looking at it last night
04:03and watching Liverpool versus Aston Villa and Liverpool have slipped up.
04:08They've drawn a very good team away from home against Aston Villa.
04:11They could have won it.
04:12They possibly should have won it.
04:13But they drew.
04:15It's a decent result.
04:17No teams are going to win 10, 11, 12.
04:20I'd be absolutely astounded if any team in our division wins the next 13 games.
04:26It's accumulation of points and a point on the road and a win at home.
04:33You look at what you need to do to be successful,
04:39and I think we all understand it.
04:41Everybody talks about two points a game.
04:44We're on course to do that, and so are other teams on course to do that.
04:48So there's loads of games to go.
04:50If you were talking about second-to-last game to the season
04:56or third-to-last game to the season or fourth-to-last game to the season,
04:58and you go, that's really swung it in the way of one team or the other
05:05pushing them towards promotion or winning the division,
05:10I would understand that.
05:11But there's still an awful amount of football to be played,
05:15and consistency is the key for me in results.
05:19Of course, we want consistent performances,
05:22but different challenges right away.
05:25I talk about the Luton Town game.
05:28Seven out of their 11 played in the Premier League last year.
05:32I'm talking to Mick Harford afterwards,
05:34and Mick's gone, that's the best we've played all season.
05:35We've had to play like that because of the team that we're playing against.
05:38We can't allow you to have that game that you wanted.
05:41I spoke to the manager afterwards,
05:43and they did that to a lot of Premier League teams last year.
05:49So, we're on with the job.
05:54We're consistent.
05:55We're happy with where we are.
05:58We're comfortable in our own skin,
06:03and we'll just keep cracking on and head down.
06:06How much are you looking forward to the event of Monday night?
06:10Monday night, Bramall Lane under the lights.
06:12You'd imagine the atmosphere will be really fervent.
06:15Yes, I thought the atmosphere for the Middlesbrough game was outstanding.
06:19We produced a top performance.
06:20I think people forget about that as well.
06:22People, as I said, that goes under the radar.
06:26We've had to play really well that night
06:28because they're a good team on the day,
06:31and we didn't allow that to happen.
06:33Yes, as I said at the start of the interview,
06:35the game's taken care of itself,
06:36and this is always one that's taken care of itself,
06:39whether it was in the Championship,
06:43when we first got back into the Championship,
06:45when they were against Marcello side,
06:48home and away,
06:49they've always taken care of itself, local derby,
06:51and there's always a ramp-up in emotion and energy and atmosphere,
06:56so expecting nothing different.
06:58Yes, there is something that those that don't have a...
07:01They're not supporters or employees of Leeds United.
07:03Everyone loves facing Leeds, don't they?
07:06Er...
07:10Go on, explain that more.
07:11Well, they're the big club up the road for a lot of teams in Yorkshire.
07:14They're a massive club.
07:15I've said all along, they're a top-six English Premier League club.
07:19I think they're up with the likes that...
07:23I think I read an article the other day,
07:25and who's the bigger club, Leeds United or Newcastle?
07:27It's a toss of a coin.
07:29There's other teams in there.
07:31Aston Villa I've talked about.
07:32Huge football clubs, historically.
07:34I'm not trying to wind anybody up
07:36or do anything that's trying to upset anybody.
07:39That's how it is.
07:40And when you're a huge football club,
07:42a historic football club that's won a load of things in the past
07:45and is a one-team city in a big city
07:49and couldn't possibly get 50,000 in their ground
07:52if they had the capacity to do that,
07:54they attract good players.
07:56They invest in the team.
07:58There's pressure on either way to win games of football
08:02just as much as there is the other way.
08:04So they're a huge football club.