Leeds United completed a stunning turnaround to move within six points of Championship leaders Leicester City on Friday, with Wout Faes going from hero to villain as the Foxes fell to a controversial 3-1 defeat at Elland Road.
Leicester were on course to go 12 points clear when Faes pounced to put them ahead from an early corner, but the Foxes missed chance after chance to put Leeds away.
The game turned on a contentious decision midway through the second half, with Patson Daka seeing his close-range finish chalked off for offside despite Leeds’ Georginio Rutter – rather than a Leicester player – playing the ball to him.
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Taking full advantage of their reprieve, Leeds levelled with 10 minutes to play as Burnley loanee Connor Roberts fired into the bottom-left corner, then the unfortunate Faes deflected Archie Gray’s strike into his own net three minutes later.
Leicester threw men forward to chase an equaliser, but Leeds struck again on the break, with Daniel James’ free-kick deflecting in off Patrick Bamford to seal a huge three points for the hosts.
IUSFIHDKJGHASDIOUFH;AILSKDJILAUSKHFDAPJSDOIHASUKDHAUSDHAIUSHDAIUSHDAIPUSHJD’LIABSDLKU;LAHSDUGHASK;ULDHAUSDHAKUSHGD!!!! ARCHIE GRAY!!!! WHAT A GUYYYYYYY!!!!! UNBELIEVABLE!!!! pic.twitter.com/tWpI573XP1
— Leeds United (@LUFC) February 23, 2024
The first chance fell to Leeds as Joel Piroe fired over following Willy Gnonto’s flick, but Faes stunned Elland Road into silence after 15 minutes, nodding home at the far post after Daka flicked Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s corner on.
Daniel Farke’s hosts were flat throughout the first half and didn’t immediately improve after the restart. Abdul Fatawu had a curling effort tipped behind by Illan Meslier after 56 minutes, then the winger rolled his next finish wide when breaking in behind.
Between those two opportunities for Fatawu, Leicester were denied what appeared to be a legitimate second goal. Jannik Vestergaard cannoned a header off the crossbar from a corner, and despite Rutter taking the rebound down on his chest, Daka was flagged offside when stealing in to prod the ball home.
Daka then missed another glorious chance to put Leicester 2-0 up, and the Foxes were punished with 80 minutes gone, Roberts reacting quickest to drill home after Rutter’s cross was blocked at the near post.
???? @ConnorRobs pic.twitter.com/RR0CtOMyDZ
— Leeds United (@LUFC) February 23, 2024
The momentum was with Farke’s men from there, and Elland Road was sent into raptures just three minutes later as Gray’s strike took a wicked deflection off Faes to beat Mads Hermansen at his near post.
With Leicester growing increasingly desperate in their hunt for a leveller, Leeds finished the job four minutes into stoppage time, with James’ set-piece effort striking Bamford before squirming under Hermansen.
Leeds have now won their last nine Championship games and sit three points clear of third-placed Ipswich Town, with both the Tractor Boys and fourth-placed Southampton having a game in hand as the promotion race hots up.
What a turnaround!#EFL | #SkyBetChampionship pic.twitter.com/d29pjPlSWg
— Sky Bet Championship (@SkyBetChamp) February 23, 2024
