PONTUS NETS TOP PRESENT
LEEDS United took advantage of an unexpected Norwich City slip-up to regain top spot – and manager Marcelo Bielsa felt it was fully deserved.
The Whites took on midtable Swansea at home hoping to build on last weekend’s last-gasp draw at Middlesbrough. It turned out that way as Leeds eased into a two-goal lead at the break.
Defender Pontus Jansson celebrated his 28th birthday by firing home the opener on 20 minutes and Jack Harrison doubled the advantage by nodding home the second 14 minutes later.
The visitors ensured a nervy finale when Oli McBurnie netted an 87th-minute penalty after Luke Ayling fouled Joel Asoro, but the bulk of the Elland Road crowd could breath a sigh of relief a few minutes later when the final whistle went.
“I think we deserved to win,” said Bielsa. “It’s difficult to understand how the difference was only one goal from the dominance we had and the situations of danger we created.
“We had more actions that could have become chances to score but didn’t.”
Without a game this weekend, United return to action with a home clash against relegation-threatened Bolton next Saturday. It’s a welcome break as the season hots up.
“When you win the game, you can wait for the next game with serenity,” added Bielsa.
Leeds’ joy at beating Swansea was magnified when they went back to the top of the table. That happened because Norwich went down to a 3-1 defeat against former manager Alex Neil’s Preston at Deepdale. The Canaries had gone into the game on a high following their 3-0 derby day victory against Ipswich last Sunday, but they were soon brought crashing back down to earth.
Ben Davies headed Preston into the lead in the second minute and they were well in control when Paul Gallagher kept his cool to convert a 24th-minute penalty after Emi Buendia fouled Darnell Fisher.
Control
Norwich must have known it wasn’t going to be their night when former Canaries keeper Declan Rudd then saved Marco Stiepermann’s penalty after Ben Pearson caught Onel Hernandez.
Sean Maguire put the Lilywhites in cruise control when he made it 3-0 on 69 minutes, cashing in after Alan Browne’s long-range effort crashed against the bar.
Teemu Pukki netted an injury-time consolation for the crestfallen Canaries, who slipped to second.
“We had 22 shots on goal and created plenty of chances,” said Norwich boss Daniel Farke. “They had four shots on target and scored three goals. We did not deserve to lose, but it was one of those games.” Third-placed Sheffield
United also made the most of Norwich’s lapse. In a tight game at home against fellow promotion-chasers Middlesbrough, the Blades ran out 1-0 victors courtesy of Richard Stearman’s header just after the hour.
Boro’s cause wasn’t helped when defender Daniel Ayala was sent off for two bookable offences three minutes later.
West Brom remained fourth after a controversial 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest at the Hawthorns.
It looked as though Martin O’Neill’s Forest were going to take an impressive scalp when they led 2-1 late on, but Baggies striker Dwight Gayle took a tumble when Reds defender Alexander Milosevic barely touched him and Jay Rodriguez coolly netted the resulting 89th-minute penalty.
Gayle was subsequently banned for two games after accepting a charge of ‘successful deception of a match official’.
Forest had taken the lead through a Stefan Johansen own goal in the sixth minute, but West Brom replied through Jacob Murphy early in the second half.
Ryan Yates struck to put Forest back in front on 65 minutes and it appeared as though they would win until the late drama.
Reds boss O’Neill said: “Naturally, we thought it was a dive. The ref has made an honest mistake. I have spoken to him and he said that’s what he thought he saw.”
Drama
There was also late drama as Bristol City made it nine wins in a row in all competitions with a 2-1 success against QPR.
Matt Smith put the visiting R’s ahead on the stroke of half-time, but the Robins rallied in the second half. Niclas Eliasson curled home the equaliser in the 73rd minute and then Famara Diedhiou kept his nerve to score a stoppage time penalty after he had been brought down by Darnell Furlong.
The victory lifted the onsong Robins to fifth place.
Fuming QPR boss Steve McClaren said: “Their penalty was ridiculous, and when the referee sees it again he will realise what a big mistake he has made.
“The foul was on Furlong, not the other way around. The fact that he took five seconds to give the penalty showed the doubt in his mind.”
Ecstatic Bristol City boss Lee Johnson said: “The boys are on a great run and it’s brilliant to coach them when you get responses like that.” Dean Smith’s return to
Brentford ended in frustration as his Aston Villa side went down to a 1-0 defeat. The prolific Neal Maupay curled home an injury-time winner for the Bees.
Derby had to settle for a point from their trip to rock-bottom Ipswich. Tom Lawrence’s deflected effort gave the Rams a second-minute lead, but sub Jon Nolan, who had only been on the pitch two minutes, levelled in the 55th minute.
In fact, it wasn’t a bad midweek for the teams at the wrong end of the table. Second-bottom Bolton earned a surprise 1-0 win at Birmingham
thanks to Callum Connolly’s 71st-minute header, while Reading clambered out of the drop zone courtesy of a 2-1 home success against Blackburn.
John Swift gave the Royals the lead as half-time approached, but it looked as though Rovers would head north with a point when Amari’i Bell struck with eight minutes left.
However, Nelson Oliveira, back after suffering a nasty facial injury against Aston Villa, curled home a precious winner in the 86th minute.
It meant Rotherham slipped into the bottom three – despite coming back from 2-0 down to earn a draw at Hull. Goals from Jarrod Bowen (two minutes) and Fraizer Campbell (23) seemed to have the Tigers on easy street, but the Millers hit back in the second half through sub Anthony Forde (48) and a Robbie McKenzie own goal (55). Millwall against Sheffield
Wednesday, and Wigan versus Stoke, finished goalless.