US NOW! STAT ATTACK
Peacock-Farrell; Ayling, Berardi, Cooper, Douglas; Phillips; Klich (Jansson 90th), Alioski, Saiz (Baker 80th), Hernandez; Roofe (Bamford 86th) from the tightest of angles curled a shot past Marek Rodak.
While Stoke and Derby were blown away in the opening two league games and Bolton never threatened their place in the second round of the EFL Cup, Leeds were not at their best against a Rotherham side intent on rewriting the predicted script.
Indeed, it was the visitors who fashioned the best chances before the break.
Paul Warne’s side should have gone ahead through Ryan Williams in the 25th minute following a moment of madness by Leeds skipper Liam Cooper.
His suicidal pass across the face of his own goal bisected keeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell and Gaetano Berardi, allowing the Aussie to nip in.
He looked certain to score but Peacock-Farrell flung himself at the striker’s feet to spare Cooper’s blushes.
Three minutes later, Leeds had another let-off when Jon Taylor’s 30-yard shot struck the inside of the post.
Leeds created just a handful of openings before the break. Roofe shot inches wide, Samuel Saiz forced a regulation save out of Rodak and on 45 minutes the keeper tipped over a Mateusz Klich shot.
But there is momentum about Leeds right now. The 33,699 crowd even applauded when the bucket Bielsa sits on was brought out five minutes before kick-off !
It may have taken the United manager until the second half to work his magic but once Ayling struck, there was only one winner.
And Saiz could have made victory even more emphatic only for Richard Woods to clear his shot off the line.
“All the pundits had us down for a real drubbing,” said Rotherham boss Warne.
“But the lads went toe to toe with an amazing team and can take a lot of credit.”
Rodak; Vyner, Wood (Vassell 76th), Raggett, Mattock; Ajayi, Taylor, Vaulks, Palmer (Manning 65th), Williams; Smith (Proctor 78th) Kemar Roofe R Jones THIS defeat means Rotherham have now lost their last 10 successive Yorkshire derbies in the Championship. They have not won back-to-back at this level since April 2016.