Leeds United scored early in each half to beat Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United and move into the top half of the Premier League.
Leeds were firmly on top at a sunny Elland Road and took an early lead as Raphinha squared for Jack Harrison to tap in his seventh goal of the season.
The hosts were made to rue their missed chances in first-half stoppage time as Ben Osborn forced the ball over the line after Oli McBurnie’s shot deflected into his path.
But Leeds were back in front inside four minutes of the second half, Phil Jagielka turning Harrison’s low cross into his own net.
Substitutes Rhian Brewster and Oliver Burke went close to a late equaliser for the relegation-threatened visitors, who are now 14 points from safety with eight games left.
But Leeds were worthy winners on a day they remembered fans Chris Loftus and Kevin Speight, who were killed in Turkey before their Uefa Cup game against Galatasaray in April 2000, and the club’s record goalscorer and former captain Peter Lorimer who died last month.
Leeds’ only change to the side which won at Fulham before the international break saw current captain Liam Cooper return in defence, but Raphinha and fellow midfielders Tyler Roberts and Stuart Dallas shone as Leeds edged above Aston Villa into 10th place.
Leeds boost bid for top-half finish
Sheffield United’s interim manager Paul Heckingbottom returned to Elland Road for the first time since having four eventful months in charge of Leeds at the end of the 2017-18 season, and he found a club revitalised under his successor.
The appointment of Marcelo Bielsa in June 2018 was a statement of intent and marked an end to the managerial revolving door at Leeds as they fought to earn a return to the Premier League.
The Argentine transformed the team’s playing style and led them back to the promised land at the second time of asking. Now they’re targeting their first top-10 finish in the Premier League since 2001-02 and continue to play the free-flowing, high-pressing football Bielsa demands.
His team swarmed around the visitors from the outset, earning a free-kick inside 10 seconds which Raphinha curled over. Kalvin Phillips caught John Lundstram napping to test Aaron Ramsdale, who also parried a Dallas shot from outside the box.
Dallas then won back possession from Enda Stevens deep inside the Sheffield United half, Roberts found Raphinha and the Brazilian winger ghosted past George Baldock before gifting Harrison an open goal.
Another flowing move resulted in Luke Ayling having a shot blocked and Harrison fired wide from Roberts’ slide-rule pass, before Roberts fired wide himself.
And although their Yorkshire rivals drew level on the stroke of half-time, Leeds regained the lead shortly after the break. Roberts hit a superb cross-field ball to Harrison on the left and the on-loan Manchester City winger’s ball behind Jagielka forced an own goal from the veteran defender.
Moments later, Dallas curled towards the top corner, only to see his shot clip the angle of crossbar and post. The Northern Ireland midfielder also dragged a shot wide as Leeds spurned several chances to snuff out Sheffield United’s hopes of a late leveller.
Mote to follow.
Line-ups
Leeds
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 1Meslier
- 2Ayling
- 14Llorente
- 6Cooper
- 10Alioski
- 23Phillips
- 18Raphinha
- 15DallasSubstituted forKochat 90+3′minutes
- 11RobertsSubstituted forKlichat 81′minutes
- 22Harrison
- 9BamfordSubstituted forRodrigoat 65′minutesBooked at 85mins
Substitutes
- 5Koch
- 7Poveda-Ocampo
- 13Casilla
- 17Hélder Costa
- 19Hernández
- 20Rodrigo
- 21Struijk
- 43Klich
- 46Shackleton
Sheff Utd
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Ramsdale
- 2BaldockSubstituted forAmpaduat 45′minutes
- 15Jagielka
- 3Stevens
- 20BogleSubstituted forBrewsterat 73′minutes
- 7LundstramBooked at 4mins
- 16NorwoodSubstituted forBurkeat 65′minutes
- 4Fleck
- 23Osborn
- 17McGoldrickBooked at 43mins
- 9McBurnieSubstituted forEganat 77′minutes
Substitutes
- 11Mousset
- 12Egan
- 13Lowe
- 14Burke
- 18Foderingham
- 22Ampadu
- 24Brewster
- 29Bryan
- 34Ndiaye
Live Text
Match ends, Leeds United 2, Sheffield United 1.
Second Half ends, Leeds United 2, Sheffield United 1.
Offside, Sheffield United. Enda Stevens tries a through ball, but Ben Osborn is caught offside.
Attempt saved. Rodrigo (Leeds United) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Raphinha.
Substitution, Leeds United. Robin Koch replaces Stuart Dallas.
Corner, Leeds United. Conceded by Phil Jagielka.
Attempt missed. Jack Harrison (Leeds United) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Mateusz Klich.
Foul by Mateusz Klich (Leeds United).
Ethan Ampadu (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Oliver Burke (Sheffield United) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Rhian Brewster.
Attempt missed. Rhian Brewster (Sheffield United) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left following a set piece situation.
Foul by Raphinha (Leeds United).
David McGoldrick (Sheffield United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Rodrigo (Leeds United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Rodrigo (Leeds United).
John Fleck (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Diego Llorente.
Substitution, Leeds United. Mateusz Klich replaces Tyler Roberts.
Attempt missed. Stuart Dallas (Leeds United) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Raphinha following a fast break.
Foul by Kalvin Phillips (Leeds United).
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