BIELSA’S LEEDS BOTTLING THE RACE FOR TITLE
Leeds 1 Norwich 3 Simon Bird
MARCELO BIELSA threw his water bottle and prowled the dugout chuntering his dissatisfaction. Was he asking if Leeds United’s promotion charge is falling apart? Has January’s training-ground spying row at Derby sent his side into a downward spiral?
United were toppled from the summit of the Championship by a relentless, ruthless counterattacking performance by
Daniel Farke’s Norwich. While
GONZALO HIGUAIN did everything to suggest that Sarri-ball will be right up his street – and so will Eden Hazard. He clobbered two goals but, more importantly for his under-fire boss Maurizio, he showed every indication that he is a man who can shoulder the burden at Stamford Bridge.
The win ended a troubled week for Sarri, following Wednesday’s 4-0 loss to Bournemouth – their heaviest league defeat in 23 years.
And the Chelsea manager hailed the blossoming of a potentiallyfruitful relationship between Higuain and his Belgian magician that should reap goals aplenty.
The loanee from Juventus isn’t truly match fit but that should only raise the hopes of everyone in south-west London who have been crying out for an A-lister ever since the schism between ex-boss Antonio Conte and Diego Costa became too wide to bridge.
Under Sarri, Higuain broke the Serie A scoring record at Napoli. All told, he has now bagged 38 goals in 37 matches for the Italian. And Sarri said: “He will be able to score a lot of goals. But it will be important also for Eden.”
Two weeks ago, Sarri questioned the Canaries look like they are loving the pressure of a fight for automatic promotion, Leeds look frantic, disjointed and are losing their heads – and points.
City’s Mario Vrancic opened the scoring and the prolific Teemu Pukki netted his 22nd goal in 35 games this season to give Norwich a comfortable first half lead. It his players’ mentality after a defeat to Arsenal. They then came a cropper against the Cherries.
Sarri added: “Today, my players were really motivated. We lost 4-0 became a rout in the 77th minute when Vrancic added his second. Patrick Bamford’s injury-time goal was no consolation.
Since losing at home to Hull at the end of December Leeds have lost four of their last six league games, more than in their previous 25 games.
Norwich deserve their place at the top – they’ve lost only once in 18 league games. And defeating their main rivals could be a pivotal. in the last match, so they had to react.”
Higuain showed his first glimpse as the Terriers’ defence was breached in the 16th minute. His movement was timed beautifully and he fired a vicious shot inside the near post that was too hot for Jonas Lossl.
On the stroke of the interval, the match was as good as over. Cesar Azpilicueta’s run into the area was tracked by Elias Kachunga. But a clumsy challenge, although outside the penalty area, was deemed inside it by referee Paul Tierney. Hazard struck the second from 12 yards. Midway through the second-half, the Belgian rounded Lossl and slotted home for the third. Moments later came the outstanding action of the game.
N’Golo Kante set up Higuain whose thunderous shot took a deflection but flew in from 25 yards.
David Luiz’s header in the dying moments only compounded the Terriers’ misery.
Huddersfield boss Jan Siewert was taking only his third match as a manager. It was his third defeat.
He said: “You can’t compare us to Chelsea. They were angry after the Bournemouth game.”