Leeds United chalked up their 16th home win of the season last night, defeating Hull City 3-1 at Elland Road. Late goals from Crysencio Summerville (penalty) and Daniel James extended the Whites’ unbeaten Championship run to 15 matches.
Victory propelled them back into the automatic promotion places with six fixtures left to play. They were made to work for it but dug deep to grind out the three points and leapfrog Leicester City into second position, albeit the Foxes have a game in hand.
United remain hot the on the heels of leaders Ipswich Town, who came from behind to beat promotion rivals Southampton in a five-goal thriller at Portman Road on Easter Monday. Here is what the national media made of the Whites’ crucial victory.
A crucial, disputed penalty — disputed among Leeds United team-mates, at least — and a final Dan James goal, scored from the halfway line into an empty net, were the decisive moments of a victory that keeps Daniel Farke’s side in the driving seat for automatic promotion.
It had long appeared that Fabio Carvalho’s first-half equaliser, cancelling out Sam Byram’s opener for the hosts, would complete a miserable weekend for Leeds, who were held to a draw at Watford on Friday.
But after Regan Slater’s 88th-minute push on Crysencio Summerville, the winger converted the penalty convincingly, but only after he had won a lengthy debate with the regular taker, substitute Joël Piroe, over who was to hit it.
Later still, with goalkeeper Ryan Allsop up front as Hull City pushed for an equaliser, Leeds broke and James scored from a step inside the Hull half. It was an impressive late rally from Leeds, who have now dropped only four points since New Year’s Day and had to cope with the added pressure of seeing rivals Ipswich Town score a late winner minutes before kick-off at Elland Road.
