'I'm very happy': Bielsa salutes Leeds' Championship title after win at Derby
How Leeds enjoyed this. And oh, how they earned it. After the final whistle at Pride Park Marcelo Bielsa’s players gathered in front of the empty stands to dance, sing, light blue and yellow flares and wave flags proclaiming their return to the Premier League as winners of the Championship. That outcome had already been confirmed by Brentford’s defeat on Saturday but Leeds beat Derby anyway by demonstrating the class that enabled them to complete their epic quest.
“I’m very happy,” a smiling Bielsa said. “People have been waiting for this promotion for a long time so it is not difficult to imagine the happiness people are feeling now. The trophy makes me happy but I’ve been working in football for 40 years so one title doesn’t really change the percentage of trophies I have. What makes me happy is the fact I have won with this group of players. What got the promotion was the fantastic ability of the players.”
They showed that ability here even though Bielsa radically altered his lineup, making seven changes to the side that held their nerve to beat
Barnsley on Thursday before West Brom and Brentford lost theirs. Stuart Dallas said: “We enjoyed the moment and then we came here and played like champions.”
Derby had the temerity to take the lead through Chris Martin in the 54th minute but were soon made to regret it. Pablo Hernández struck back within two minutes before Jamie Shackleton fired the table-toppers in front. The visitors’ supremacy was underlined when Matt Clarke accidentally diverted a cross by Ezgjan Alioski into his own net.
Alioski’s afternoon took a turn for the worse when he suffered cramp while attempting a flamboyant breakdancing move as he and the team revelled on the pitch after the final whistle. But he soon recovered to continue the party.
Even before kick-off the people running Leeds’ website amused themselves by showing footage of Pride Park as if filmed through a pair of binoculars, a gleeful allusion to last season’s “spygate” hoo-ha. Derby players had enjoyed invoking that embroilment themselves after beating Leeds in last season’s play-off semi-finals, but United have had the last laugh. At least for now.
No doubt there will be further instalments in the future, since one of the special things about Leeds is that they attract rivalries and fight their corner like few others. So Derby – foes since the days of Don Revie and Brian Clough – was a fitting last away venue to visit before Leeds resume time-honoured feuds with Manchester United, Chelsea and whoever else wants to have a go.
All parties managed to keep a straight face here as Wayne Rooney and his Derby teammates welcomed Leeds players with a guard of honour. Proper order. It is right to applaud this team’s success and the manner it has been achieved.
Leeds then dominated the first half. Tyler Roberts went close twice early on, and Barry Douglas forced a save from Kelle Roos in the 17th minute. Then the ever-ingenious Hernández spotted a chance to humiliate Roos from near halfway but the goalkeeper back-pedalled quickly enough to catch the Spaniard’s audacious shot.
The match drifted a little after that until Derby went and antagonised Leeds by scoring. Martin’s left-footed shot from 12 yards looped over Kiko Casilla after taking a deflection.
Leeds set things straight within two minutes. Hernández claimed the equaliser with typical class, letting the ball bounce up to him at the edge of the area before guiding an immaculate shot into the net. Their second was also lovely, as the visitors swept forward before Roberts played a clever ball through to Shackleton. The Leeds-born 20-year-old finished in style.
Casilla had to make a fine save to protect the lead after a slip by Luke Ayling gave Jason Knight a clear run on goal. After Clarke inadvertently made it 3-1 to Leeds, Derby’s focus shifted to trying to prevent further embarrassment.