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Attendance: 34,044
Leeds logo
Championship | Gameweek 32
Feb 13, 2019 at 7.45pm UK
 
Swansea logo

2-1

Jansson (20'), Harrison (34')
FT(HT: 2-0)
McBurnie (87' pen.)

Leeds return to Championship summit after seeing off Swansea

Leeds return to Championship summit after seeing off Swansea
© Reuters
The Whites took another step closer to a Premier League return.

Leeds returned to the top of the Sky Bet Championship table as they took advantage of Norwich's defeat at Preston with a 2-1 victory over Swansea.

The clash had an edge after Swansea pulled the plug on Daniel James' move to Leeds late on deadline day and United channelled that frustration to make it 10 straight home wins against the Welsh side.

James, who had completed a medical and was waiting at Elland Road for the deal to be rubber-stamped, started the game and showed glimpses of why Leeds were so keen to sign him.

But the winger and his team-mates were left with an improbable task at half-time after goals from birthday boy Pontus Jansson and Jack Harrison had put Leeds in control.

United had gone on to win all 13 league games in which they had scored the opening goal this season and that record was never truly under threat despite a period of panic after Oli McBurnie's late penalty.

Buoyed by their 101st-minute equaliser at Middlesbrough on Saturday, Leeds made a lively start with Kemar Roofe dragging a shot wide.

Scoring first had become an issue for Leeds since the turn of the year but centre-back Jansson calmed the home crowd's nerves after 20 minutes.

Swansea failed to clear Pablo Hernandez's corner and Jansson was on hand to lash a left-footed shot into the bottom corner after Ezgjan Alioski's deflected effort had fallen into his path.

Leeds were visibly more confident and threatened a second goal when Roofe played a neat one-two with Mateusz Klich, only to miss the target with his guided effort.

Despite looking neat and tidy Swansea had struggled to break the hosts down, but when they did eventually fashion an opportunity they came agonisingly close to drawing level.

A free-kick routine left Barrie McKay with enough time and room to pick out a low cross that captain Mike Van Der Hoorn was inches away from sliding home.

Leeds quickly regrouped and almost doubled their lead when Harrison had a shot beaten away by Swans goalkeeper Erwin Mulder.

United did not have to wait much longer, Harrison directing a near-post header from Alioski's cross beyond the flat-footed Mulder in the 34th minute.

Patrick Bamford, making his first Championship start for Leeds at Elland Road, headed straight at Mulder as Leeds sought a third before half-time.

But their lead appeared in jeopardy immediately after the restart when Swansea won a free-kick right on the edge of the box, with former United loanee Matt Grimes seeing his effort deflected just wide.

The Swans survived a goalmouth scramble and were grateful for Mulder getting down low to save from Bamford and Roofe in quick succession.

James was withdrawn with little over 20 minutes to go and watched substitute McBurnie set up a nervy finish from the spot after Luke Ayling had brought down Joel Asoro.

Panic came into Leeds' play in the remaining three minutes plus stoppage time but Marcelo Bielsa's side held on for a vital victory.

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Sunderland1594225111431
2Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd1510321971231
3Leeds UnitedLeeds158522491529
4Burnley157621861227
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom15672169725
6Watford158162322125
7Middlesbrough157352317624
8Millwall156541813523
9Blackburn RoversBlackburn156451917222
10Bristol City155732019122
11Swansea CitySwansea155461110119
12Derby CountyDerby155461919019
13Stoke CityStoke155461819-119
14Norwich CityNorwich154652322118
15Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds155371725-818
16Oxford UnitedOxford Utd154561718-117
17Coventry CityCoventry154472021-116
18Plymouth ArgylePlymouth154471526-1116
19Hull City153661620-415
20Preston North EndPreston153661523-815
21Luton TownLuton154381726-915
22Cardiff CityCardiff154381423-915
23Portsmouth152671628-1212
24Queens Park RangersQPR151771225-1310


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