Leeds United The Verdict - Leeds United tough out tense test to go top of Championship

Leeds United The Verdict  Leeds United tough out tense test to go top of Championship


     Samuel Saiz bundles Leeds United's opening goal over the line against Birmingham. PIC: Bruce


TOP of the Championship after last night’s 2-0 home win, and, in this uncompromising mood, no plans to go anywhere soon. They are pinching themselves at Elland Road, from the boardroom to the very back of the Kop, as Leeds United make the masses dream.

Most among them remember the Howard Wilkinson era and those distant, wonderful memories serve as a reminder of how long it is since the club spent any meaningful time at the head of England’s second division

But for a few hours in 2004, Leeds have not held this position since 1990 and the club are surprising many by holding it now. Game by game, the ascent has been coming. The form which began with a flourish at Bolton Wanderers last month has flowed through seven games, setting a pace which no other side in the table has been able to match. Cardiff City held the initiative before last night but were beaten at Preston North End, a first defeat of the season. Leeds held up their end of the bargain with a 2-0 win over Birmingham City. Birmingham stood up where Burton Albion had caved in on Saturday, making a game of their visit to Elland Road, but they found to their cost what other teams have already discovered: that there is no way through this Leeds team and no way of keeping them out.

Samuel Saiz struck in an even first half and Stuart Dallas at the end of a tiring second, two more goals from Thomas Christiansen’s creative cast of forwards, and his defence held out for the sixth league game running, passing 600 minutes without shipping a goal. It was fractional at points, not least when Luke Ayling pulled off an improbable clearance before half-time, but Christiansen will tell himself that any good fortune is being well earned

There was no repeat of their 5-0 hammering of Burton and no threat of it at any stage, and if Burton felt shattered at the end of 90 minutes then United’s hell-bent attempt to demolish them came at the cost of some tired legs. Harry Redknapp’s Birmingham chipped away in the second half, encouraged by Leeds’ diminishing threat up front, but United have not conceded from open play since the first half of their opening game and the wall stood firm until Dallas eased some palpable tension with a second goal in injury-time.