Champs run riot to sink Charlton

WILL Leeds United care that their title-lifting party included a relegation for former favourite Lee Bowyer?

Not a jot. The Charlton boss said before the game that he did not expect any favours from the club where he spent seven years as a player, and he did not get any.

For a long while in the second half it looked like being a double celebration for Leeds and Bowyer — going up and staying up.

But a late Barnsley winner at Brentford relegated the Addicks back to League One and their players were left scattered in despair on the turf come full time.

The same could not be said of Marcelo Bielsa’s Premier Leaguebound champions, who were again irresistible as they finished their campaign with a sixth straight win.

The club’s hierarchy used the matchday programme to reiterate their ‘revelry’ in not being ‘universally loved’. There is one problem with that — everyone loves Bielsa.

They are a feisty bunch here — evidenced by chief executive Angus Kinnear declaring, ‘We are not d***ing around with the play-offs anymore’ — and they were again at their intimidatory best in the posh seats, even in the presence of the Football League top brass. Not that EFL chairman Ricky Parry is their concern beyond last night’s presentation of the Championship trophy.

And so the suits celebrated with gusto what was another ruthless display from Bielsa’s team.

Leeds want to re-sign Brighton loanee Ben White next season, so the manner of the centre back’s first goal for the club was hardly helpful in keeping his blossoming talent on the quiet, a belting volley that found the top corner from 20 yards.

Pablo Hernandez is 35 years old but let’s hope we see plenty of him next term, too, for his pass to lay on the second for Stuart Dallas was sublime, splitting the defence as well as the legs of Charlton’s Josh Cullen.

Tyler Roberts headed a third after half-time before Jamie Shackleton slipped home his second in as many games.

Job done in style by Bielsa’s boys.