Premier League
Leeds United 4 (Calvert-Lewin 38’, 45+4’, Ampadu 60’, Stach 90+11’)
Crystal Palace 1 (Devenny pen 90+2’)
Leeds: Perri (GK), Bogle (Justin 80’), Gudmundsson, Ampadu (C) (Gruev 87’), Struijk, Rodon, Calvert-Lewin (Piroe 87’), Aaronson (Tanaka 77’), Bijol, Stach, Okafor (Gnonto 77’). Subs not used: Darlow (GK), Harrison, Bornauw, Byram.
Crystal Palace: Henderson (GK), Mitchell, Lacroix, Guéhi (C), Nketiah (Devenny 77’), Pino (Drakes-Thomas 86’), Mateta (Uche 77’), Clyne (Sosa 65’), Hughes (Lerma 46’), Wharton, Richards. Subs not used: Benítez (GK), Esse, Canvot, Rodney.
Venue: Elland Road
Attendance: 36,334
Referee: Thomas Bramall
Booked: Perri (Leeds) Lacroix, Guéhi, Wharton (Palace)
Leeds United gifted supporters the perfect Christmas present as they put in a dominant display to dismantle an in-form Crystal Palace side.
An emphatic Dominic Cavert-Lewin brace before the break fired the Whites ahead, with skipper Ethan Ampadu then netting from close-range before Anton Stach curled in a sublime free kick to complete the rout!
Daniel Farke made just one change to the starting XI that won a well-deserved point at Brentford last weekend, bringing Brenden Aaronson back into the side as Leeds shifted shape to a 3-4-3.
On a dark and misty evening, play got underway in a packed and roaring Elland Road with the home side on the front foot.
Chances were few before an Ampadu long throw found Joe Rodon by way of a touch from Calvert-Lewin. The centre-back’s shot was deflected wide and, from the resulting corner, the Wales international put his header past the upright.
The visitors’ first opportunity came moments later as Lucas Perri reacted sharply to get down to a low drive from former Leeds loanee Eddie Nketiah, played in by Jean-Philippe Mateta.
From another well-delivered Stach set-piece, Pascal Struijk’s header narrowly missed the frame of Dean Henderson’s goal.
The Whites were then controversially denied a penalty appear after Aaronson was sent tumbling in the box under a clumsy challenge by Tyrick Mitchell.
However, within minutes, Leeds got their reward! From another Ampadu throw, Palace defender Chris Richards’ touch was the first but from there the ball fell to the feet of Calvert-Lewin, who dispatched past Henderson to fire United into the lead with his fifth goal in as many games!
Later, Aaronson and Stach worked the ball to Struijk on the edge of the area but his powerful half-volley was deflected around the post by Richards.
And it was the Whites who ended the half on a high as yet another throw from their captain caused chaos in the Eagles’ penalty area.
Jaka Bijol prodded it on to the far post and who was there but the England international, heading home to double United’s advantage going into the break!
HALF TIME: Leeds United 2-0 Crystal Palace
The home side emerged energetically and unchanged for the second half, pushing for the game’s crucial third goal with Elland Road continuing to be in fine voice.
From a corner won by Stach, the ball fell to Gabriel Gudmundsson in the box whose turning shot was blocked by Mateta.
Leeds piled on the pressure and it took desperate defending from the Eagles to clear the ball away, after the Whites’ Swedish and American internationals combined down the left wing to fire a low ball across the area.
It was corner after corner for United and the latest fell on to the edge of the box to Aaronson, whose header bounced through to Ampadu. Yards from goal, the skipper made no mistake to put his side three goals to the good!
Leeds wanted more and the dangerous Noah Okafor worked the ball across the edge of the area to the onrushing Rodon, who saw his blast cannon off a red and white shirt and deflect narrowly wide.
From the resulting set-piece, it was mayhem in the box. Struijk’s header was just barely clawed off the line by Henderson as bodies tumbled everywhere and the visitors somehow survived.
And, from a brisk Wilfried Gnonto break, Calvert-Lewin would have had his hat trick but for last ditch defending by an opposition defender.
As the clock rolled into added time, the Eagles got one back. After substitute Christantus Uche won a penalty for the visitors, Justin Devenny stepped up and found the back of the net.
Leeds, though, won their own penalty minutes later after Ilia Gruev was brought down by a poor tackle. A VAR review ruled that the foul occurred outside the box but it was not to matter...
Up stepped Stach, slotting his free-kick into the back of the net and sending the West Yorkshire faithful home with an early Christmas present! Elland Road, which had been singing all night, celebrated once more.
The whistle blew to close out a dominant win that sees the Whites extend their unbeaten run to four matches ahead of their trip to fellow promoted side Sunderland next weekend.
FULL TIME: Leeds United 4-1 Crystal Palace
