Championship
LeedsLeeds United2HuddersfieldHuddersfield Town0

Leeds United 2-0 Huddersfield Town: Marcelo Bielsa labelled 'a genius' as hosts go top of Championship

Luke Ayling
Luke Ayling has scored four goals this campaign, two more than he had managed in his first three seasons with the club

Premier League promotion hopefuls Leeds United went top of the Championship and moved seven points clear of third-placed Fulham with a comfortable win over local rivals Huddersfield.

The hosts raced into a third-minute lead when full-back Luke Ayling smashed home a superb volley from Jack Harrison's deep cross.

Patrick Bamford wrapped up the win with a close-range finish after Town goalkeeper Jonas Lossl could only tip Ben White's header into his path, while Harrison also hit the woodwork for the hosts.

Huddersfield manager Danny Cowley described Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa as a "genius" after the match and is sure they will be playing top-flight football next season.

"If you are going to be outmanaged, then be outmanaged by a genius," said Cowley, who is in his first season as a Championship boss.

"I'm not sure we've ever got to that level of performance that Leeds did today. You look at the energy and intensity. He must be relentless in his demands of them to play with that physical output.

"I will be interested to see how the Premier League copes with them when Leeds go up."

Leeds take advantage as rivals slip

Leeds, who have now won their past five games without conceding a goal, made the most of West Bromwich Albion's 0-0 draw at Swansea to go back to the top of the table for the first time since 14 December.

Added to Fulham's draw at Bristol City and Nottingham Forest's home defeat by Millwall, Leeds were the only one of the Championship's top four to win this weekend.

Ayling opened the scoring in the first five minutes in last week's 4-0 win at Hull City and repeated the trick at Elland Road with a wonderful flying volley from Harrison's lofted centre.

Town, who had won their past two games to climb away from the bottom three, offered little but came close to a leveller when Trevoh Chalobah's shot threatened to squirm past Leeds keeper Illan Meslier.

Bamford ended his eight-match run without a goal to put the game beyond Town in the 51st minute and thereafter it was just a matter of whether Leeds could add to the score.

Marcelo Bielsa's men visit Cardiff a week on Sunday, while the Terriers, who are now just three points clear of the bottom three, host Wigan.

Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa told BBC Radio Leeds:

"We defended well, we didn't receive real chances, just the one in the first half. In attack, we could have scored maybe one more goal.

"I am happy for (Patrick Bamford), centre-forwards need to score. Today he scored a typical goal for a centre-forward."

Line-ups

Leeds

Formation 4-1-4-1

  • 1Meslier
  • 2AylingBooked at 19mins
  • 28BerardiBooked at 38mins
  • 6Cooper
  • 15Dallas
  • 5WhiteBooked at 80mins
  • 17Hélder Costa
  • 19Hernández
  • 43KlichSubstituted forShackletonat 83'minutes
  • 22HarrisonSubstituted forAlioskiat 90+3'minutes
  • 9BamfordSubstituted forRobertsat 79'minutes

Substitutes

  • 3Douglas
  • 10Alioski
  • 11Roberts
  • 25Caprile
  • 34Struijk
  • 46Shackleton
  • 49Casey

Huddersfield

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 49Lössl
  • 17Simpson
  • 12StearmanBooked at 15mins
  • 26SchindlerBooked at 51mins
  • 3Toffolo
  • 8Chalobah
  • 39O'Brien
  • 10WillockBooked at 35minsSubstituted forPritchardat 67'minutes
  • 32Smith RoweSubstituted forBacunaat 72'minutes
  • 16Grant
  • 22CampbellSubstituted forMounieat 61'minutes

Substitutes

  • 7Bacuna
  • 9Kachunga
  • 13Coleman
  • 21Pritchard
  • 24Mounie
  • 27Stankovic
  • 29King
Referee:
Oliver Langford
Attendance:
36,514

Match Stats

Home TeamLeedsAway TeamHuddersfield
Possession
Home61%
Away39%
Shots
Home16
Away6
Shots on Target
Home5
Away2
Corners
Home2
Away3
Fouls
Home13
Away18

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Leeds United 2, Huddersfield Town 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Leeds United 2, Huddersfield Town 0.

  3. Post update

    Tyler Roberts (Leeds United) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  4. Post update

    Foul by Lewis O'Brien (Huddersfield Town).

  5. Substitution

    Substitution, Leeds United. Ezgjan Alioski replaces Jack Harrison.

  6. Post update

    Corner, Huddersfield Town. Conceded by Gaetano Berardi.

  7. Post update

    Tyler Roberts (Leeds United) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  8. Post update

    Foul by Richard Stearman (Huddersfield Town).

  9. Post update

    Offside, Huddersfield Town. Jonas Lössl tries a through ball, but Steve Mounie is caught offside.

  10. Post update

    Foul by Tyler Roberts (Leeds United).

  11. Post update

    Christopher Schindler (Huddersfield Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  12. Post update

    Offside, Leeds United. Tyler Roberts tries a through ball, but Jamie Shackleton is caught offside.

  13. Substitution

    Substitution, Leeds United. Jamie Shackleton replaces Mateusz Klich.

  14. Post update

    Offside, Leeds United. Jack Harrison tries a through ball, but Tyler Roberts is caught offside.

  15. Booking

    Ben White (Leeds United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  16. Post update

    Foul by Ben White (Leeds United).

  17. Post update

    Karlan Grant (Huddersfield Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  18. Substitution

    Substitution, Leeds United. Tyler Roberts replaces Patrick Bamford.

  19. Post update

    Offside, Leeds United. Ben White tries a through ball, but Jack Harrison is caught offside.

  20. Post update

    Pablo Hernández (Leeds United) wins a free kick on the right wing.

As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Leeds37218856302671
2West Brom371913564372770
3Fulham371810952381464
4Brentford371791164333160
5Nottm Forest371612948381060
6Preston37168135045556
7Bristol City371510125153-255
8Millwall37131594440454
9Cardiff37131595250254
10Blackburn3614111152421053
11Swansea371314104645153
12QPR37148155862-450
13Reading37139154642448
14Derby361212124649-348
15Sheff Wed37139154649-348
16Birmingham371211144857-947
17Stoke37126194955-642
18Huddersfield37119174558-1342
19Middlesbrough37914143747-1041
20Wigan371011163850-1241
21Hull37118184963-1441
22Charlton37109184454-1039
23Luton37105224371-2835
24Barnsley37810194262-2034
View full Championship table