Tyler ends drought to lift Bielsa’s boys
LEEDS refused to allow the uncertainty over race-row keeper Kiko Casilla to overshadow the bid to end their 15-year Premier League exile as they returned to the top of the Championship.
The ever-present Spaniard earned a routine clean sheet to the backdrop of his name echoing around Elland Road from home supporters as Leeds became the third side to lead the league in as many hours after Swansea had replaced West Brom earlier in the day.
The former Real Madrid keeper is set to receive a ban of between eight and 12 matches for allegedly racially abusing Charlton’s on-loan West Brom forward Jonathan Leko during a 1-0 defeat at the Valley in September, with the FA expected to confirm the penalty on Wednesday.
But boss Marcelo Bielsa instead preferred to concentrate on a deserved victory that also saw the Wales forward Tyler Roberts end a 13-month personal goal drought.
‘It was a tough test we needed to pass,’ said Bielsa. ‘ We couldn’t really relax until the second goal went in late on but that helped to end the nerves.’
Leeds should have been out of sight long before Roberts converted a square pass from Jack Harrison to mark his first league start this season six minutes before the break.
Mateusz Klich volleyed over from Luke Ayling’s inviting cross and full-back Ayling should have done better when he put a header over from a Kalvin Phillips free-kick.
Patrick Bamford looked certain to break the deadlock after running onto a perfectly weighted Klich through ball to round Liam Kelly, only for the Rangers goalkeeper to recover brilliantly before smothering the danger.
It proved another damaging dent to the clearly brittle confidence of Bamford, who had been due to miss out on a starting role until on-loan Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah suffered an abdominal injury in training on Friday.
Leeds are awaiting the results of precautionary scans after the 20-year-old was taken to hospital.
Nerves were soon calmed by Roberts’ unflustered strike, the 20-year-old’s first appearance on the scoresheet since his winner at
Hull in October last year. It also ensured QPR maintained their unwanted record of failing to keep a clean sheet this season.
Bamford, who now is without a goal since late August, was inches from sliding home a low Roberts cross as Leeds continued to press for a second goal after the break.
The forward had a diving header correctly ruled out for offside, while Roberts almost provided the valuable breathing space when his volley flew narrowly over.
Harrison capped an impressive display by capitalising on defensive hesitancy to sweep home from close range with eight minutes remaining.
Jordan Hugill sent a late header wide for a Rangers side who provided only a sporadic threat.
Boss Mark Warburton said: ‘There was a lack of belief about us. We’ve got to believe we can come to places like this and get something.’