Leeds United 7-0 Cardiff City: Daniel James stars as Daniel Farke's White inflict heavy defeat on the Bluebirds

Championship leaders Leeds thumped Cardiff 7-0 to claim their biggest win of the season and extend their unbeaten home run in all competitions to 14 games.

Wales winger Dan James supplied Brenden Aaronson for a sixth-minute opener before crossing low for Tottenham loanee Manor Solomon to tap home a second in the 13th minute.

The outstanding James scored Leeds' third five minutes into the second half to cap a fine performance as the visitors' eight-match unbeaten run in all competitions was emphatically ended.

Joel Piroe added a second-half brace and substitutes Willy Gnonto and Mateo Joseph also scored as Daniel Farke's men claimed their 18th win from 30 Championship games this season.

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The 1-0 loss to Burnley on September 14 remains Leeds' only home defeat in the league and their unbeaten run - since losing 1-0 at Blackburn on November 30 - has now stretched to 12 games.

Elland Road has become a fortress again for the Yorkshire giants, who comprehensively swept the struggling Bluebirds aside during the opening quarter.

It was painful viewing for Cardiff boss Omer Riza, who was forced to watch from the stands as he began a three-game touchline ban following his sending off in the recent 3-0 win against Swansea.

Leeds began brightly and led in the sixth minute to cap a well-worked move which began when Piroe found James advancing at pace inside the left channel.

James took the ball around the onrushing Jak Alnwick before showing intelligence to square the ball to Aaronson, who steadied himself before firing home a low, right-foot shot into the net.

In the 13th minute, the Whites scored again when Piroe found James in space and his low cross from the right flank was tapped home by Solomon from close range.

In the 18th minute, James tried his luck with a left-footed shot from 22 yards which took a wicked deflection and forced Alnwick into a scrambling save.

Cardiff offered next to nothing and, on the stroke of half-time, James hit a left-foot piledriver which forced Alnwick into action again.

Five minutes after the restart, Leeds had their third when Solomon found Firpo on the left flank and his low cross was hammered into the roof of the net at the back post by James.

In the 55th minute, Illan Meslier was finally forced into action to repel a long-range effort but Leeds had their fourth in the 64th minute.

Piroe's shot was superbly saved by Alnwick and, as James tried to tuck away the rebound, he was fouled by Callum O'Dowda and referee Michael Salisbury pointed to the spot.

Piroe stepped up to coolly convert from 12 yards and Gnonto then got on the scoresheet one minute after replacing James.

Collecting possession over 20 yards from goal, the Italy winger created the space to hit a low, left-foot shot which flew into the bottom corner.

In the 88th minute, Firpo delivered a superb left-wing cross which Joseph fired high into the net and then Piroe finished clinically with a low, left-foot finish deep into added time from yet another Firpo assist.

The managers

Leeds' Daniel Farke:

"After a win, first of all it's always relief.

"But of course when you have such an impressive scoreline as this it's even more enjoyable.

"This league is relentless and you have to become relentless yourself and we showed this today from the first second to the last.

"In the last 20 minutes, when we were 4-0 or 5-0 up, we still had the desire to run back and defend the clean sheet but also the discipline to create more chances - we could have score a few more.

"Quite often in such a game the offensive players have the temptation to cheat a little bit because they're thinking of being selfish and want to shine a bit more.

"But everyone chipped in for the team and even the offensive players were sprinting back and fighting. We had full control until the last second and that's why we created so many chances.

"A day like this doesn't come along very often, especially not in this league, so you have to enjoy it. I'm in a good mood."

Cardiff's Omer Riza:

"We said before the game that if you make silly mistakes and you don't show intensity and desire then Leeds will just carve you open.

"It was a humbling and a very disappointing day for us as a staff and a club and players - we need to learn from it.

"I think we froze in the first 15 minutes and there were so many things we didn't get right today.

"We apologise to the fans because today was very disappointing for the fans and for us - and it can't happen."

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