Leeds United ended Aston Villa’s 100% winning start and ruined their chance of going top of the Premier League thanks to a brilliant Patrick Bamford hat-trick.
Villa came into Friday’s game having won their first four games of a league campaign for the first time since 1930-31, but three expert finishes from the Leeds striker prevented the hosts making it a club record five victories on the spin to open their season.
The result, which lifts Leeds to third, was reward for a relentlessly positive performance from an injury-hit visiting side that should probably have yielded more goals.
In the first-half, Bamford missed with a header and then side-footed wide after being found by Jack Harrison’s low cross at the end of swift counter-attacking move.
Leeds’ record signing Rodrigo was also guilty of spurning good opportunities, slicing one shot wide before seeing an effort blocked by Ezri Konsa.
Dean Smith’s Villa team, who had put seven goals past champions Liverpool in their previous home game, saw a Jack Grealish shot cleared off the line by Luke Ayling after the ball had fallen to the midfielder from Trezeguet’s miscued shot.
Villa’s captain also went close with a saved effort from close range after he had shown great tenacity and skill to carry the ball from within his own half.
But Bamford had the decisive say, finding the corner of the net from just a few yards out after Emiliano Martinez had palmed out Rodrigo’s low shot.
If his first was simple, his second and third were stunning – a rising effort into the top corner from 20 yards after he was found by Mateusz Klich on 67 minutes and a dug out, curling finish following Helder Costa’s low ball seven minutes later.
Leeds are now two points and a place behind Villa, who remain second, a point behind leaders Everton.
More to follow.
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Aston Villa
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Squad number26Player nameMartínez
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Squad number2Player nameCash
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Squad number4Player nameKonsa
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Squad number5Player nameMings
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Squad number18Player nameTargett
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Squad number7Player nameMcGinn
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Squad number6Player nameDouglas Luiz
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Squad number17Player nameTrézéguet
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Squad number20Player nameBarkley
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Squad number10Player nameGrealish
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Squad number11Player nameWatkins
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Squad number15Player nameTraoré
Leeds United
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Squad number1Player nameMeslier
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Squad number15Player nameDallas
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Squad number5Player nameKoch
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Squad number2Player nameAyling
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Squad number10Player nameAlioski
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Squad number17Player nameHélder Costa
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Squad number21Player nameStruijk
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Squad number43Player nameKlich
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Squad number22Player nameHarrison
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Squad number20Player nameRodrigo
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Squad number9Player nameBamford
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Squad number18Player nameRaphinha
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Squad number19Player namePablo Hernández
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Squad number46Player nameShackleton
Line-ups
Aston Villa
- 26Martínez
- 2Cash
- 4Konsa
- 5MingsBooked at 53mins
- 18Targett
- 7McGinn
- 6Douglas Luiz
- 17TrézéguetSubstituted forTraoréat 66′minutes
- 20Barkley
- 10GrealishBooked at 69mins
- 11Watkins
Substitutes
- 12Steer
- 14Hourihane
- 15Traoré
- 19Nakamba
- 22Engels
- 27El Mohamady
- 39Davis
Leeds
- 1Meslier
- 15Dallas
- 5Koch
- 2Ayling
- 10Alioski
- 17Hélder CostaSubstituted forDias Belloliat 83′minutes
- 21StruijkBooked at 10minsSubstituted forShackletonat 21′minutes
- 43KlichBooked at 90mins
- 22Harrison
- 20RodrigoSubstituted forHernándezat 79′minutes
- 9Bamford
Substitutes
- 7Poveda-Ocampo
- 11Roberts
- 13Casilla
- 18Dias Belloli
- 19Hernández
- 24Davis
- 46Shackleton
Live Text
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Match ends, Aston Villa 0, Leeds United 3.
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Second Half ends, Aston Villa 0, Leeds United 3.
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Attempt missed. Jack Harrison (Leeds United) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Pablo Hernández following a fast break.
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Attempt missed. John McGinn (Aston Villa) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Ross Barkley.
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Foul by Mateusz Klich (Leeds United).
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Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Patrick Bamford (Leeds United).
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Ezri Konsa Ngoyo (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Luke Ayling (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Bertrand Traoré (Aston Villa).
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Mateusz Klich (Leeds United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Attempt missed. Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Ross Barkley.
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Raphinha (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Matt Targett (Aston Villa).
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Foul by Stuart Dallas (Leeds United).
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Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Jack Harrison (Leeds United) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Matthew Cash (Aston Villa).
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Attempt saved. Patrick Bamford (Leeds United) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Jamie Shackleton with a cross.
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Attempt missed. Raphinha (Leeds United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Patrick Bamford.