Perfect Pat sets Leeds three from sorry Saints
LEEDS returned to the top half of the table as three second-half goals sealed a 3-0 win over Southampton.
Patrick Bamford’s 13th Premier League goal of the season, a Stuart Dallas strike and the impressive Raphinha’s free-kick lifted Marcelo Bielsa’s side above Arsenal and up to tenth.
Defeat means Saints’ winless league run was extended to eight matches and had Leeds not been so wasteful in front of goal, Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side would have lost by a bigger margin.
The visitors had twice threatened to take an early lead, first Jannik Vestergaard headed James Ward-Prowse’s free-kick wide before Nathan Tella almost marked his first Premier League start with a fine solo effort.
Having seen a penalty decision overruled by VAR Southampton thought they had broken the deadlock just before half-time when Che Adams latched on to Ward-Prowse’s smart free-kick, but referee Andre Marriner ruled it out claiming he was not ready.
Leeds made a flying start to the second half and took the lead in the 47th minute. Bamford raced on to Tyler Roberts’ excellent through-ball and clipped a cool finish into the bottom corner.
The hosts had a number of chances to extend their lead and almost paid the price for their failure to do so when Vestergaard’s close-range effort was blocked by Bamford and Mohammed Salisu fired over from the rebound.
But Dallas settled any home nerves when he crashed in the second from the edge of the box in the 77th minute.
Leeds chased a third and were rewarded when Raphinha curled an excellent free-kick around the wall and into the corner seven minutes later.