Leeds United fans on Derby win, triple Whites boost, Gus Hamer question and team's 'first in Europe' feat
Leeds United are ending 2024 top of the tree - but what do the club’s fans think?
Here is what our YEP Jury have had to say on Sunday evening’s 1-0 success at Derby County which sent Daniel Farke’s Whites two points clear in top spot including a Gus Hamer question, triple Whites boost and ‘first in Europe’ feat.
KEITH INGHAM
Just sometimes, when it’s a tight game you need a little ‘sparkle’ and with the introduction of Manor Solomon and Joel Piroe, Daniel Farke’s magic wand produced just that and with Brenden Aaronson’s superb goal they finished 2024 top of the Championship.
Derby gave as good as they got, but only troubled Illan Meslier once. Leeds on the other hand once again spurned two good chances with Mateo Joseph flicking a chance wide and Aaronson hitting one well over the bar.
The second half followed the same pattern as the first with Leeds having the lions’ share of possession. It needed the introduction of Solomon, Dan James and Piroe to inject that little bit of class to bring about the winning goal.
Solomon played the ball to Piroe, the Leeds top scorer played a slide rule ball to Aaronson who placed the ball superbly under Jacob Widell Zetterstrom.
Leeds once again kept another clean sheet and became the first team in Europe to pass 50 points this season.
New Year's Day brings Blackburn Rovers to Leeds 11. The Lancashire side won their home game with us 1-0 so hopefully Farke’s charges will want some revenge. I reckon Leeds will start 2025 with a narrow win.
Man of the match: Brenden Aaronson.
DAVID WATKINS
What a week! Three wins while our rivals dropped points along the way.
The victory at Derby County was hard earned and not without drama – missed chances and a couple offered up to the home side – but eventually won with a scintillating series of a dozen or so passes ending with a precise first-time pass in the box by Joel Piroe and a clever, composed finish by Brenden Aaronson.
Meanwhile, Sunderland lost at Stoke, Burnley could only draw at Boro and Sheffield United dropped two more points, this time at home to the draw specialists, West Brom.
Sunday’s results thus leave Leeds two points clear at the top of the table on 51 points as we close out the year – exactly as we were at the end of 2019 when we went on to clinch the title and promotion.
Now the challenge is to keep our points advantages by continuing our impressive home form as Blackburn Rovers visit Elland Road on New Year's Day.
Rovers had been on a good run, but one point from three games over Christmas has left them now trailing Leeds by a massive 13 points. Come on Leeds, let’s motor on!
Man of the match: Brenden Aaronson.
NEIL GREWER
Leeds United became the first visiting team in the last 30 games at Pride Park to keep a clean sheet – and in reality Illan Meslier was only once required to make a decent save.
On the attacking front, Leeds were wasteful, again, but many games are taking this familiar pattern with the defence being solid and the attack eventually finding a way through.
On this occasion the winner, a brilliantly crafted, patient, well-worked 20-pass team goal finished by Brenden Aaronson came after the introduction of substitutes, the quality of whom other teams do not have.
Leeds started both halves brightly – a welcome change from previous away games, and the whole game was well managed with players rested, substitutes making an impact and a sense of calm and control within the 90 minutes.
Ethan Ampadu is improving game by game following injury and Aaronson continued his path to redemption with a superb cool finish – he now has two more goals than Gus Hamer so would we swap them given a chance? Once again, Pascal Struijk and Joe Rodon were imperious at the back.
Man of the match: Ethan Ampadu.
ANDY RHODES
They say that all the best promotion-winning sides are capable of grinding out hard-fought wins on the road, and Sunday’s victory at Derby County was certainly that.
For a long time, it looked like the Rams would shut Leeds out but, when Daniel Farke made his changes, the game swung in their favour.
Brenden Aaronson’s goal came from a passing move that any side would be proud of. The three attacking subs combined and showed their quality.
That’s not to say that the starting players such as Mateo Joseph, Willy Gnonto and Largie Ramazani didn’t offer enough, but there was a sense that the substitutions changed the game.
It was also telling that the Whites’ defence shut out a Derby side used to scoring at home. There was more solid defending and Illan Meslier barely needed to make a save.
Results went the way of United but, in order to really take advantage, they must find a way to beat Blackburn Rovers on New Years’ Day.
There are more tough fixtures for their promotion-chasing rivals. Another win would really put the pressure on those teams.
Man of the match: Brenden Aaronson.
MIKE GILL
Daniel Farke decided on four unforced changes to keep the side fresh. This was not unexpected but changing all three in-form attackers, and a player of Joe Rothwell’s calibre shows the confidence Daniel has in his squad and system.
The Whites dominated possession in the first half but were wasteful when it came to taking their chances, and the Derby defence was putting up stubborn resistance.
They came close again in the second period with Rams’ keeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom performing heroics to keep the game scoreless.
A triple substitution changed the dynamic of the game immediately when Manor Solomon sent Dan James away only for Zetterstrom to deny the Whites once again.
When the winner came, it was a thing of beauty. Solomon took Sam Byram’s pass and spun around to find Joel Piroe, who found Brenden Aaronson with one of his trademark through balls.
The American tucked the ball away neatly to the delight of the travelling fans.
Sheffield United had drawn at home, and Sunderland had lost at Stoke. Later in the evening, Middlesbrough drew with Burnley, leaving United with a two-point lead at the top of the table.
Man of the match: Brenden Aaronson.