Good Morning. It's Tuesday 29th April, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...
Leeds thump Robins all over the park
Leeds United brought their Elland Road season to a spectacular close, treating a jubilant home crowd to a dominant performance as they cruised past play-off chasing Bristol City. Daniel Farke's side put on a '5-star display' of dominance, pressing and precision, running out 4-0 winners against a shell-shocked Robins outfit.
With promotion back to the Premier League confirmed last week, the atmosphere at Elland Road was predictably one of celebration. Fans, eager to make up for the muted, empty-stadium title win of 2020, turned out in force, ready to party. Their team responded in kind, delivering a performance that underlined exactly why they are pushing for the Championship title and aiming for the coveted 100-point mark.
Leeds wasted little time asserting their authority. The opening goal arrived courtesy of Ao Tanaka, who provided a composed finish after latching onto Manor Solomon's perfectly weighted deep cross. It was a goal born of patience and clinical execution, setting the tone for the evening.
Despite needing points from their final two games to solidify their play-off hopes, fifth-placed Bristol City found themselves under the cosh throughout the game. They offered very little up front and were susceptible at the back, with relentless wave after wave of attacks from the men in White.
In truth, Bristol City did well to keep the deficit to one for as long as they did against a Leeds side demonstrating a significant gulf in class, despite only four places separating them in the table. Shot-stopper Max O'Leary pulled off some blinding saves, without whom the game could have turned into a cricket score.
The deserved second goal arrived around ten minutes into the second half. Joel Piroe's defence-splitting pass found Willy Gnonto, who matched the exquisite delivery with a cool, clipped finish beyond the otherwise excellent Max O'Leary in the Bristol City goal.
The floodgates truly opened late on with the introduction of forgotten man Largie Ramazani. The substitute made an immediate impact, scoring with his very first touch to make it 3-0, before adding a fourth in the final seconds to complete a resounding victory.
The final whistle was met with thunderous applause and cheers as Leeds players soaked up the richly deserved acclaim from their passionate faithful. As the team embarked on a buoyant lap of honour, it was clear this was the celebration denied to the fans back in 2020. Sixteen years away from the top flight, returning Championship champions in front of empty seats – this felt like the proper homecoming party.
With a win at all-but relegated Plymouth on Saturday now needed to secure the title, this dominant showing against a play-off contender was the perfect send-off from Elland Road. As the players circled the pitch, basking in the appreciation, it was a fitting end to the home season, and for Daniel Farke, if this was to be his last game in charge at Elland Road, it was certainly one to remember.
Farke - the icing on the cake
Daniel Farke exuded pride and confidence following his team's resounding 4-0 victory over Bristol City, as shared in his post-match interview with BBC Radio Leeds. Despite continuing whispers of job pressure heading into next season, the German showed no signs of wavering, instead focusing on the positives from an emotional week.
Farke admitted the buildup wasn't straightforward. After celebrations had finally subsided, the team only returned to training on Friday, facing a highly motivated Bristol City side. "I was a bit worried before the game," he confessed, but those concerns quickly faded as Leeds delivered what he described as "one of the best performances of the whole season."
The match saw four fantastic goals, with the team potentially capable of scoring even more, underscoring their determination to finish strong. Emphasizing the squad's resolve, Farke highlighted their desire to "end the season in style" and "put the icing on the cake."
He reiterated ambitions to extend their points tally and goal count, even aiming for the league title if possible. This win not only boosts morale but also signals Farke's commitment to pushing Leeds forward, proving that under his leadership, the team is focused on progress despite external pressures.
I'm a very proud manager. Obviously the week was not the easiest, because for the first three or four days we were celebrating. We got back to training on Friday and it's hard against a highly-motivated side. I was a bit worried before the game. I shouldn't have been because the lads showed their determination.
We scored four fantastic goals and should have scored way more. It was one of the best performances of the whole season. We were so determined to end the season in style with a top performance and a top result. We wanted to put the icing on the cake and we want to win the league if we can. We want to extend the points tally and the amount of goals.
