FOUR-MIDABLE
Leeds are rocked by rampant Baggies
LEEDS’ hopes of returning to the top of the Championship were smashed by West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns.
Albion allowed the visitors the lions-share of possession but simply tore them to shreds on the counter.
West Brom boss Darren Moore made two changes from the side that was humbled at Hull City, with skipper Chris Brunt and Conor Townsend making way for Kieran Gibbs and Hal Robson- Kanu, while Dwight Gayle was back after a two-game absence with a place on the bench.
The changes appeared to work. Leeds were being outplayed yet almost took the lead only for Pablo Hernandez to fluff his lines and balloon over the crossbar after Ezgjan Alioski’s pin-point ball across the penalty area.
As the break neared, the visitors at last were able to draw breath and establish a foothold in the contest when, from an Alioski cross again, Mateusz Klich side-footed straight at goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.
Six minutes after the re-start, while Leeds’ Kemar Roofe was howling for a penalty under the slightest contact from Craig Dawson in the six-yard box, Gibbs lashed the ball clear and it found Rodriguez, who drifted across the pitch, beating two poor challenges before finding Robson-Kanu inside the area for the opener.
When Matt Phillips dispossessed Klich in the centre circle 15 minutes later, he somehow beat Bailey Peacock-Farrell from 28 yards to double Albion’s lead. The Leeds keeper’s attempt at a save was truly woeful.
United’s misery soon became worse as Tosin Adarabioyo’s through-ball set Harvey Barnes racing through the middle to make it 3-0. Within a minute, Rodriguez’s shot was blocked but fell for substitute Gayle to flick into an unguarded net.
Hernandez’s looping headed goal gave Leeds little consolation.