Leeds vs Crystal Palace
What a difference a week makes. The atmosphere around Elland Road on Saturday has transformed from sombre to sensational following the takeover, and with a 2-1 victory over league leaders Crystal Palace, the Leeds fans are riding the crest of a wave which threatens to erupt into a tsunami.
New signings Alan Tate and Jerome Thomas slotted in seamlessly, with Tate proving himself an assured presence at the back and Thomas, wearing the number ‘9’ shirt, terrorising the Palace defence and finding himself in behind several times – one couldn’t help but feel as though he was the spectre of Jermaine Beckford, albeit on the wing.
Leeds found themselves ahead following a typical Luciano Becchio poacher’s finish, capitalising on a loose ball in the box. Paul Green put the Whites 2-0 up with a tidy volley that skidded along the turf and into the goal. Yet Palace pulled one back with a Peter Rammage header, and looked as though they would get another, but Leeds held out despite five minutes of added time.
Leeds controlled large parts of the game but Palace had threatening spells, calling Paddy Kenny to make a great double save in the first half. My man of the match was Sam Byram; he had Wilfred Zaha so far in his pocket I feel for the England international’s life whenever Byram sits down.
It was Leeds’ best performance of their so far underwhelming season, and go to Leicester with their heads held high and with a point to prove.
Leeds vs Leicester City
Leeds United ground out a second successive victory against high-flying Leicester City in bitterly cold conditions on Tuesday night. Buoyed by their unlikely win over Palace at the weekend, Neil Warnock’s charges initially dictated to their visitors before digging deep to preserve the advantage that they had enjoyed since Becchio’s third minute penalty.
A year to the day that former Elland Road favourite Gary Speed died, it did not come as a surprise when Leeds began in sprightly fashion. As the faithful bellowed the Welshman’s name, Sam Byram tumbled under a clumsy challenge from Jeff Schlupp. Argentine striker Becchio did not disappoint from the spot. The home side continued in this vein for the rest of the first half, with Jerome Thomas a nuisance in only his second appearance, and, but for an acrobatic save by former Leeds custodian Kasper Schmeichel, the game would have been over as a contest by the break.
Instead of surrendering, however, the Foxes emerged reinvigorated and proceeded to set up camp in their opponents’ half for the remaining three quarters of an hour. The onslaught never materialised, though, Martyn Waghorn spurning what few chances they could conjure. At the other end, El-Hadji Diouf was a constant thorn in his marker’s side.
After such a lengthy barren spell, Warnock might reflect that wins are like buses; you spend a long time waiting for one, then two come along at once.