Sheffield United highlight invaluable promotion trait in Luton Town victory amid Leeds United, Burnley battle

Yes, they have some damn fine players. Yes, they have a competitive budget that allows them to compete with the top sides in this league, even if the accusations of ‘Parachute Payment FC’ are as laughably cheap as they are wide of the mark. Yes, they are well coached and motivated by an experienced staff and manager that have seen it, done it and worn the T-shirt in this division.

But arguably the best trait of this Sheffield United side that, at the time of writing, lead a remarkable race for a place in the Premier League is the intangible stuff that can’t be measured in any xG chart or on any spreadsheet that are seemingly taking over the game bit by bit. That spirit, that courage, that determination that has seen them dig out results this season when teams made of lesser stuff would have crumbled.

For the latest example, see Saturday’s gritty win over Luton Town. It wasn’t pretty - let’s be honest, when is it at Kenilworth Road? - and the Blades did ride their luck, the hosts hitting the bar, missing a sitter through Elijah Adebayo and forcing a couple of smart saves from Michael Cooper. But good teams find a way through and United did just that, staying in the game and then winning it 11 minutes from time through a striker’s finish from defender Anel Ahmedhodzic after the Bosnian sprang the offside trap superbly.

Victory saw United become the first team in the entire EFL to hit 70 points - they have won 72 from their 22 wins, another high mark amongst the entire Football League - and put the pressure back on Leeds ahead of their clash with fellow automatic promotion hopefuls Sunderland at Elland Road on Monday evening. It was also particularly timely considering Burnley’s goalless draw at Preston North End earlier in the day, when they kept yet another clean sheet but also registered another blank as they slipped five points behind the Blades.

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There is still a long way to go in the race for the Premier League and no-one at Bramall Lane is getting carried away just yet. But, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, for United to even be in with a shout of promotion considering they are still in the early phases of their big rebuild is a remarkable achievement. To be in and amongst the chasing pack is extraordinary.

“We lost a couple of players before in Tom Cannon and Gus and we had to change it around a bit because a couple of the boys were struggling,” said boss Chris Wilder afterwards. “But the togetherness of the group is incredible and that's the reason we're in the position we are. We turn up every day. We turn up to training every day with standards and every game we turn up.

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“That's what I love about my team, that consistency in performance which gives you an opportunity to get consistent results. To hit 72 points at this stage of the season, because that's what it is, is a great achievement and it caps off a fabulous week.”

Wilder, whose side beat Portsmouth and Middlesbrough to take nine points from nine last week, admitted: “It was a tough afternoon for us. When we saw the teamsheet and a couple of their experienced boys back into the line-up, we knew what was coming. We prepped for the Luton that has been successful here and they have their supporters something to get excited about.

“But we made a couple of changes and we were better second half. We had to find a way to get something from the game. We knew it was going to come on top, we managed to deal with it and it's a big three points.”