Premier League

West Bromwich Albion 0

Leeds United 5 (Sawyers O.G. 9, Alioski 31, Harrison 36, Rodrigo 40, Raphinha 72)

West Brom: Johnstone, Furlong, Peltier, Ajayi, O’Shea, Sawyers, Phillips (Ivanovic 45), Gallagher, Diangana (Krovinovic 73), Grant (Pereira 61), Robinson.  Subs not used: Button, Grosicki, Austin, Harper, Kipre.

Leeds United: Meslier, Dallas, Ayling, Struijk, Alioski, Phillips, Klich (Shackleton 58), Rodrigo (Hernandez 70), Harrison, Raphinha (Costa 81), Bamford.  Subs not used: Casilla, Poveda, Roberts, Davis, Jenkins, Casey.

Leeds United ran riot at The Hawthorns, dismantling West Bromwich Albion 5-0 in the final game of 2020.

After making a positive start and pressing strongly, the Whites were rewarded inside nine minutes when Romaine Sawyers passed the ball back to his own goal and with Sam Johnstone off his line, there was nothing he could do to prevent Leeds going ahead.

Leeds continued to dominate possession without creating a real chance until Kalvin Phillips fired a long-range effort in the 22^nd minute, forcing Johnstone into a decent stop.

Six minutes later, Jack Harrison did really well to break into the West Brom box from the left flank, but he couldn’t keep his strike down.

Leeds doubled the lead through Ezgjan Alioski.  Rodrigo fired in a dangerous cross aimed at Patrick Bamford, with the ball falling at the feet of the North Macedonia international just inside the West Brom box and he smashed home via the post.

Leeds’ third of the evening came in the 36^th minute when Harrison played a lovely one-two with Bamford to get himself in the box and he then made room for a strike and found the top corner.

Darnell Furlong blazed over West Brom’s only real chance of the half, before Leeds added the fourth goal of the first half. Mateusz Klich fired in a low ball and Rodrigo’s deflected strike found the back of the net.

Raphinha saw a strike well saved from 25 yards as there was no let up from Leeds before the break, with Marcelo Bielsa’s side striving to go further ahead.

HALF TIME: West Bromwich Albion 0-4 Leeds United

After the break, Patrick Bamford saw a shot deflect wide as Leeds continued to cause the Baggies problems.

Against the run of play, the hosts nearly pulled a goal back when Grady Diangana pounced on a mistake at the back from Leeds, but he couldn’t get the better of Whites stopper Illan Meslier.

Leeds added a fifth in the 72^nd minute, with Raphinha playing a one-two with Stuart Dallas on the wing, before cutting inside and the Brazilian then superbly found the top corner from the edge of the box.

Captain for the evening Luke Ayling looked to get on the act soon after, he met a Kalvin Phillips corner at the near post, flicking the volley just over.

Leeds continued to cause problems for the Baggies, with Harrison reaching the byline and he picked out Bamford in the middle of the box, who saw his strike deflect just wide off Branislav Ivanovic.

Harrison then saw a dangerous cross head towards goal and bounce inches wide, before Callum Robinson blasted over a rare chance for West Brom from range in the closing stages of the match.

Leeds managed to hold onto their clean sheet though, leaving with all three points as they head into the New Year. 

FULL TIME: West Bromwich Albion 0-5 Leeds United

Booked: Alioski (Leeds)

Referee: Lee Mason

Venue: The Hawthorns

Attendance: Behind-closed-doors