My winner was for our hero, Jack
PABLO TRIBUTE TO LEGEND
LEEDS and Pablo Hernandez paid the perfect tribute to Jack Charlton as Marcelo Bielsa’s men moved to within an inch of a Premier League return.
Hernandez’s 89th-minute strike caused delirium and left his side needing just four points from their remaining three games to be guaranteed promotion.
The Spaniard dedicated his winner to Charlton, who passed away on Friday at the age of 85 following a long-term illness.
Hernandez said: “Everyone at the club remembers him. He is part of the history. The three points is for everyone, especially him and his memory. This win is for him.
“We know it’s a massive win, but you can never think the work is done until the season finishes.”
England 1966 World Cupwinner Charlton made a club record 773 appearances for Leeds across 23 years.The class of 2020 warmed up with “RIP Big Jack” on their shirts while both teams wore black armbands and held a minute’s silence in his memory.
“Of course he is a legend of the club,” said head coach Bielsa. “We have difficult feelings. The fact we won in this situation when we’ve had bad news is amazing.
“But I don’t want to take the risk of talking about the victory and the loss of one person. I don’t want to link those two things.
“The match was very close. In the last 30 minutes we had opportunities to score and that was the difference.”
Leeds started and ended the first half on top but Swansea more than held their own.
Liverpool loanee Rhian Brewster and impressive Chelsea young gun Conor Gallagher both went close for the hosts.
At the other end, Swansea goalkeeper Freddie Woodman got in a pickle with Kyle Naughton which nearly led to the defender putting into his own net. But Woodman was the saviour on the hour, brilliantly keeping out Patrick Bamford’s low header.
It looked as if Leeds would have to settle for a point but halftime substitute Hernandez then stuck the knife into his old team.
Luke Ayling crossed and Hernandez controlled before finishing past Woodman with his effort going in off the post.
Hernandez raced away and was booked for removing his shirt — not that Leeds will care as a return to the top flight after a 16-year exile is almost sealed. SWANSEA (3-5-2): Woodman (Mulder 90); Naughton, Cabango, Guehi (Cullen 90); Roberts, Grimes, Fulton (Byers 90), Gallagher, Bidwell (Cullen 90); Ayew, Brewster (Routledge 81).
LEEDS (4-1-4-1): Meslier; Ayling, White, Cooper, Dallas (Alioski 45); Phillips; Costa (Shackleton 90), Klich, Roberts (Hernandez 45), Harrison (Berardi 90); Bamford. Goal: Hernandez 89.