Championship manager's brutal promotion message as Sheffield United, Leeds and Burnley point made

Watford head coach Tom Cleverley insists there is a ‘big gulf’ between the Championship’s top four and those fighting for play-off football below them.

Cleverley’s Hornets fell to just their second home defeat of the season on Saturday at the hands of Sheffield United. Brilliantly worked goals either side of half-time from Gus Hamer and Andre Brooks handed the Blades a 2-1 win at Vicarage Road to ensure all three points returned north, with the gap on league leaders Leeds United now just one point.

There are now just three points separating first-placed Leeds and Sunderland in fourth, with nine points between the Black Cats and Middlesbrough in fifth. Many are expecting a four-way scrap for automatic promotion while the rest fight it out for two play-off places, and Cleverley accepts the gulf in class between his side and those at the top.

United ‘a level above’

“With all due respect to the other teams outside the top four, I think there is quite a big gulf in the league this season between Sunderland, Sheffield United, Burnley and Leeds, and the rest,” Cleverley told the Watford Observer following his side’s defeat against the Blades. “I think the rest are quite comfortably outside the levels of that top four.

“Not just technically or in terms of speed, but these clubs expect a certain mentality. They play like they expect to win. They know how to make it happen when they’re maybe not at their best, which we have done this season too at times. But they are just a level above.

“Sheffield United have come here today with a lot of injuries to key players and managed to grind out a result when, for large parts, we were the better side. I know what it’s like being at both ends of the table, and sometimes it is not quality why you’re at the top. You’re just expected to win, and know-how to find a win, when you’re at the top end.”

Wilder ‘emotional’ after tough Watford win

Few would argue that on the basis of play, Watford deserved something from Saturday’s game but United are masters of grinding results out, as Cleverley admitted the best teams often do. The Blades had goalkeeper Michael Cooper to thank for an excellent display between the posts while many played through fatigue, and in his post-match assessment Wilder echoed the above sentiment.

“It was quite emotional at the end because it’s a huge result,” the United boss admitted. “There have been tight games over Christmas that could have gone either way. It was game on for us today and we had to do what we needed to do. Sometimes you have to take the nice part out of the game, roll your sleeves up.

“How much do you want to win, how much do you want to dominate your opponent and how much do you want to get over the finishing line? And they’ve showed all those qualities... People talk about performances but you come to a stage where you need to get a result. Whatever it takes, whatever you have to do. Try and be good in the middle but, be good defensively and show your quality at the top of the pitch.