LEEDS UNITED QPR JACK’S THE LAD Leeds go top as loanee Harrison issues a reminder to Pep
JACK HARRISON gave Pep Guardiola a timely reminder of what the future holds at the Etihad after he helped inspire Leeds back to the top.
Harrison, on loan from City at Elland Road, put in a man- of- the- match show, scored one and made another to down QPR.
After setting up Tyler Roberts for the first goal, the winger put the icing on the cake late on with a closerange finish to put the result beyond doubt.
The win was enough to see Marcelo Bielsa’s men return to the summit and the Leeds manager (below) said: “It was a great match, collectively and individually.
“In the first half, we created chances without scoring but at the end of the half we got the goal we needed.
“In the second half, we missed some chances to put the result beyond doubt but Jack’s goal made us happy.
“We had five minutes left and everyone was nervous in the stadium, so it helped to settle the nerves.
“We need to secure these kinds of matches where we’re leading 1-0 and make it more relaxed.
“We were great in attack and defence and Patrick Bamford was responsible for this. He wasn’t going ing to start, as Eddie die Nketiah was, but t he suf fered a stomach injury on Friday. Patrick did really well in leading the press.”
The home side e were ahead at the he break after Roberts, berts, who was making his first start of the season, slotted home from Harrison’s pullback after the wideman had picked out his team- mate after cutting in from the left.
The home side had chances to put the result beyond doubt with Bamford unlucky not to make it 2-0 when his header, that found the net from close range, was ruled out for offside.
QPR rarely threatened Kiko Casilla’s goal but he breathed a sigh of relief when Jordan Hugill’s close-range header went wide.
It was a huge let-off for Leeds, who sealed the win eight minutes from time when Harrison benefitted from a fortunate rebound off a QPR defender before coolly slotting home.
It was a frustrating afternoon for the visitors, who are now three games without a win.
Manager Mark Warburton felt that if Hugill’s second- half header had gone in the result would have been different.
“Leeds are an established team in terms of their squad and t he manager ’ s philosophy and Elland Road is a tough venue to come to,” he said.
“In the first half we rode our luck on a couple of occasions and lacked a bit of quality in the final third.
“But we came out in the second half and showed some really good quality.
“At 1-0 that cross from Todd Kane came in for Jordan, who has had a great season thus far, and if that goes in this place goes quiet.”
LEEDS QPR 6 ........ Shots on Target ..........1 9 ........Shots off Target .........4 6 ................Corners .................2 1 8 .................Fouls .................20 5 ............... Offsides ..................1 78.5 .Passing Success % ..78.6 331 ........Total Passes ........ 355 49 ........Possession % ......... 51 52.2..Territorial Adv % .. 47.8