Now Bamford dines out at the top table

LEEDS UNITED 4 FULHAM 3

PATRICK BAMFORD has taken two games to do something he failed to in two previous seasons.

Bamford has scored in each of Leeds’ Premier League matches so far to answer those who said he could not cut it in the top flight.

Barren spells at Crystal Palace, Burnley and Middlesbrough between 2015 and 2017 saw him net just once in 27 games – for Boro against Southampton.

But he now looks at home in the top tier and he finished coolly for Leeds’ third. He also won the penalty for the second, while his pacy run and precise pull back saw Helder Costa score the fourth – Costa’s second.

Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa knew when he took over that Bamford would be perfect for his style of football, signing him from Boro in 2018 within a month of arriving for £ 7million.

Bamford has repaid Bielsa with 26 goals in 68 league games but he contributes much more with his selfless work rate.

He said: “It’s a nice start. The main thing is I’m doing my bit for the team. Whilst it’s tiring, I just try to do as much as I can.”

Leeds threatened to snatch a draw from the jaws of victory when Bobby Reid netted and Aleksandar Mitrovic added another to his first- half penalty to make it 4- 3. Neeskens Kebano then hit a post.

Bamford, below, said: “That was too close in the end. There will be a few meetings to pick out what we can do better. But we won – that’s the main thing.”

LEEDS ( 4- 1- 4- 1): Meslier 5; Ayling 6, Cooper 6, Koch 5, Dallas 6; Phillips 6; Costa 8, Klich 8, Rodrigo 5 ( Roberts 46, 6); Harrison 7; Bamford 9 ( Alioski 70, 6). Goals: Helder Costa 5, 57, Klich 41 pen,

Bamford 50.

FULHAM ( 4- 2- 3- 1): Areola 6; Tete 5, Hector 5, Odoi 5, Bryan 5; Reed 6 ( Lemina 71), Zambo- Anguissa 7; Cavaleiro 6, Onomah 6 ( Reid 57, 7), Kamara 6 ( Kebano 57, 7); Mitrovic 8. Goals: Mitrovic 34 pen, 67, De Cordova- Reid 62.