This article is part of Football League World’s ‘Rewind’ series, this content strand is where we rewind back to a particular moment at a club, assess the initial reaction from the fans, and then proceed to evaluate and reflect on whether fans were right to react in that way….

Elland Road plays host to a Yorkshire derby this weekend as Leeds United welcome Sheffield Wednesday to LS11 for their first home game of 2020.  

Leeds enter the fixture top of the Championship table, with Marcelo Bielsa’s side fully focused on their promotion push after exiting the FA Cup at the hands of Arsenal on Monday evening.

A spirited display at the Emirates Stadium will stand them in good stead, as will picking up five points from three testing Championship fixtures over the festive period.

Like Leeds, Wednesday are looking for promotion this season, with Garry Monk’s side poised to pounce on the play-offs, which they sit two points adrift of.

Monk’s connection with Leeds always gives his trips to West Yorkshire an edge, whilst Wednesday heading to Elland Road is always a big occasion for the 35,000+ that will be in attendance.

QUIZ: Can you name every Leeds United player’s shirt number?

That was certainly the case last season, when Wednesday headed to Elland Road on April 13th.

Under the management of Steve Bruce, there was an outside chance of the Owls sneaking into the play-offs, but for Leeds, more was on the line.

Bielsa’s side had an opportunity to move three points clear of Sheffield United and the chasing pack with a win, after the Blades slipped to a 1-1 draw with Millwall earlier in the day, casting their automatic promotion hopes in doubt.

As was a common theme for Leeds, they dominated proceedings throughout at Elland Road on that sunny Saturday evening, but standing in their way was an in-form Keiren Westwood.

Westwood pulled off save after save, with a beer-fuelled Elland Road crowd becoming agitated as Bielsa’s side probed for a breakthrough.

And, on 65 minutes, relief oozed out of Elland Road, as Pablo Hernandez found space on the right before firing a cross to the feet of Jack Harrison, whose deft touch sent the ball flashing into Westwood’s far corner.

Elland Road was bouncing and Leeds held on for a 1-0 win, putting themselves four games away from the Premier League with a three-point cushion. To many, promotion was just inches away…

Of course, those celebrations were premature. Bielsa’s side failed to win any of their final four games and Sheffield United’s 10-point haul saw them finish ahead of Leeds, who then dramatically lost a play-off semi-final to Derby County.

This weekend, Sheffield Wednesday are back in town for a repeat of the fixture that put Leeds so close last season.

Victory this weekend won’t put the Whites as close to promotion again, but three vital points over Monk’s side will maintain Leeds’ position at the top of the Championship table and leave them in a strong place with 19 to go.

So, all eyes on Elland Road and beyond, as Leeds look to hold their nerve.