'What a win!' - Leeds United fans on Fulham 'payback', double injury blow reaction & survival surety
The YEP's Leeds United jury give their verdict on Saturday's late Premier League win over Fulham at Elland Road.
Leeds United enjoyed late drama on Saturday as they beat Fulham 1-0 at Elland Road. Substitute Lukas Nmecha handed his side a deserved win in the first minute of added-time, poking home Ethan Ampadu’s tempting cross.
Victory keeps Leeds eight points clear of West Ham United in 18th place for another week. And with another important victory secured, the YEP’s Leeds United jury have had their say...
DAVID WATKINS
Congratulations to the Jury - we didn’t quite get the score right, but we all plumped for a one-goal margin victory and, for once, we got it right. This was a tremendous result for Leeds, especially in light of that shock West Ham United win at Spurs, which could have reduced the gap to the relegation zone had Leeds not matched the Hammers’ result.
But the most encouraging aspect was the performance; once again, we dominated a side that had recently been in good form, and in the second half in particular, there was only one team in the match, all the momentum going with Leeds. They have hardly put a foot wrong since that now famous formation change at half-time at the Etihad, and the thought has to be that if we can continue to put performances like this on the pitch for the remainder of the season, then surely, we’ll be safe come May, regardless what other teams might do.
Fulham went the way of their London rivals - Chelsea and Crystal Palace - outplayed, outshot and, ultimately, out-scored. This was arguably our best performance of the season, albeit we’ve been able to say that a few times since that Etihad Renaissance!
Man of the match: Gabriel Gudmundsson.
NEIL GREWER
Leeds avenged the cruel defeat at Craven Cottage in September with their own injury-time winner to send Elland Road wild. But unlike the result at the Cottage, this was richly deserved.
Leeds dominated the first half and missed several decent chances (Noah Okafor and Brenden Aaronson the guilty parties), whilst dealing efficiently with Fulham’s only apparent tactic of long balls over the top (Gabi Gudmundsson and Pascal Struijk effective here). The second half saw Leeds up a gear and create more chances.
However, long throws and corners were proving less productive than usual with Fulham players winning first contact on most - Leeds impacted by injuries to Jaka Bijol and Anton Stach, preventing them starting. Eventually, Daniel Farke’s team selection and substitutions paid off.
Whilst Karl Darlow had not been tested in goal, James Justin and Ilia Gruev impressed in their roles - covering absentees, and attacking substitutions reaped rewards. Substitutes Willy Gnonto added spark, Ao Tanaka gave energy and Lukas Nmecha produced a sublime finishing touch at the far post to Ethan Ampadu’s low cross. A well-deserved result.
Man of the match: Ethan Ampadu (the goal assist nudged him ahead of several others).
ANDY RHODES
With other sides in the bottom five places picking up points in recent weeks, it remains crucial that Leeds United win, particularly at home. The Fulham game always had the potential to be tricky. They had only lost three of their last 12 and just one on the road.
Leeds also had to watch out for Harry Wilson. Mind you, there are enough of his fellow Wales internationals in the Whites squad to know what he’s about. The game was far from a classic, brought to life in the closing stages by a rare moment of quality. Lukas Nmecha has had to bide his time recently but he took his chance very well and it meant Leeds were worth another vital three points.
The win means Leeds have now beaten or equalled the points totals of all three promoted sides last season with 16 games to play. The fixtures won’t get any easier, and a trip to Everton next time out will be another tough assignment.
Man of the match: Ethan Ampadu.
KEITH INGHAM
Sometimes fortune favours the brave. Going into the last 10 minutes Daniel Farke could have settled for a point but put on Ao Tanaka and Lukas Nmecha and the Leeds number 14 duly supplied the finish to give them the points just as the added minutes were announced.
A little ‘payback’ on Fulham as they beat Leeds with a late own goal in September. It wasn’t a classic first half but Leeds should have been ahead but Brenden Aaronson blasted over the bar when put through. Leeds continued to offer more than the visitors before Farke made changes.
Willy Gnonto came on, and with less than 10 minutes to play, Tanaka and Nmecha were brought on. Nmecha had a header saved before the board came up showing four minutes of injury time. Gnonto and Tanaka battled for the ball and fed Ampadu, his fine cross was superbly put past Bernd Leno by Nmecha.
What a win! All involved deserved the acclaim they got at the final whistle but Gudmundsson was deservedly the man of the match. There was also a fitting tribute to the late Terry Yorath who passed away recently. His family were present as Leeds paid tribute to one of Don Revie’s team before the game.
Man of the match: Gabriel Gudmundsson.
MIKE GILL
Revenge needed to be taken for the narrow defeat at Craven Cottage back in the autumn, and taken it was! Daniel Farke made a bold decision to replace the faltering Lucas Perri with Karl Darlow but the veteran keeper had few chances to prove that his boss had made the right selection.
A lot of the first half did resemble the last meeting with few chances given or taken by either side. The second period was a different story as the Whites ramped up the pressure and besieged the Fulham goal. It was stalemate at the end of normal time and it was looking like an undeserved dropping of two points.
But once again, United’s fighting spirit paid off. With the clock running down, Ethan Ampadu sent a fine cross into the Fulham box. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was surrounded by Fulham defenders but lethal Lukas Nmecha took advantage of the space he had made for himself and sent a screamer into the back of the net.
The former Manchester City man nearly had another as only the acrobatics of Bernd Leno prevented Leeds doubling the score. A well deserved win!
Man of the match: Gabriel Gudmundsson.