Leicester City vs Leeds United. Premier League.
The King Power Stadium.
Free highlights and match report as Patrick Bamford stars to give Leeds superb victory at top-four chasing Leicester; Harvey Barnes gave Leicester early lead but Stuart Dallas, Bamford and Jack Harrison scored in comeback victory; Leicester stay third, two points off Man Utd in second
Sunday 31 January 2021 20:16, UK
Patrick Bamford scored one and made two to give Leeds a 3-1 win at Leicester to prevent the Foxes from moving second in the Premier League.
In a frantic, direct first period, Leicester took the lead through Harvey Barnes strong run and low finish (13) having used James Maddison as a wall, but the visitors levelled almost instantly through Stuart Dallas sweeping finish from Bamford's centre (15) from a classic Leeds counter.
The game settled for much of the second half, before Bamford, who hadn't scored in four Premier League games, found the top corner from an angle with 19 minutes remaining.
Leicester had several clear-cut chances to level, but Bamford selflessly put the ball on a plate for Jack Harrison (84) to wrap up the victory during another sweeping, trademark Leeds counter-attack in another brave and entertaining display from Marcelo Bielsa's side.
The result means Leicester stay third, two points off second-place Manchester United and five off leaders Manchester City, but having played a game more. Leeds remain 12th, but are just four points off the top six.
Leeds' open, attacking style, even against sides at the top-end of the table, made for an entertaining first half full of goalmouth action for both teams, but they had to come from behind for their fourth win in six Premier League games.
Leicester took the lead thanks to some brilliance from Barnes in creation and finish, bursting through Leeds' midfield, keeping Luke Ayling at arm's length, playing a one-two with James Maddison and slotting low into the bottom left corner past Illan Meslier from 12 yards.
The goal means Maddison has been directly involved in 10 goals in his last 11 games for Leicester in all competitions (six goals, four assists), as many as his previous 43 appearances.
But only 127 seconds later, Leeds reacted with a fine equaliser of their own after Maddison lost the ball in Leeds' half. The visitors pounced in trademark style as Ayling fed Bamford down the right channel, and his centre met Dallas inside the box to sweep beyond Kasper Schmeichel from 10 yards.
Leeds then had the ball in the net - Bamford's header from a Kalvin Phillips corner was superbly saved by Schmeichel, and though sub Mateusz Klich turned home the rebound, he had been offside from Bamford's initial header.
The visitors kept coming as Raphinha was denied by Schmeichel's low stop on the right of the box after a one-two with Bamford, while at the other end Marc Albrighton's deflected cross-shot was nearly turned home by Ayoze Perez.
Leicester made a tactical change at the break, bringing on Caglar Soyuncu for Albrighton and moving to a back five, and that nullified Leeds for a good 25 minutes before Bamford's goal sprung the game into life again.
After Leicester failed to clear properly, Raphinha's instinctive ball found Bamford onside in the box, and he found the far top corner with a brilliant effort, despite the angle and odds being against him: "Wow, no goalkeeper is saving that," said Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports.
Leicester reacted well but couldn't find a leveller - Soyuncu's glancing header was so close to being turned home by Jonny Evans and Perez - but Leeds wrapped it up with the hosts caught high up the pitch.
After the ball was cleared up the pitch, Bamford was through on goal with Harrison to his right for company, and instead of going for goal, the striker fed his team-mate to turn into the empty net.
Leeds' statement victory was deserved - "You want Leeds to do well just because of their honesty and the way they play," said Graeme Souness after the game - but for Leicester, it's one point out of a possible six without the injured Jamie Vardy. Brendan Rodgers' side dropped points from a winning position for the first time this season, the final Premier League team to do so.
Graeme Souness on Sky Sports:
"It was fantastic, great to watch. If you're a football person you'll enjoy Leeds, all day long.
"Right back to the first game of the season at Anfield, they treated it like they've always been in the Premier League.
"I think they play with a freedom, and the manager deserves great credit. I think they put performances in front of results, they just go for it, gung-ho, and it makes for a great watch."
Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers: "Disappointing to lose, we've been on a nice little run. We're disappointed with the result, we made a great start, but then we gave away a cheap goal from our perspective. We're disappointed with the goals we gave away. I thought we started the second half well, but we just couldn't quite find that final pass.
"It just feels like a loss, like they all do. The beauty of us as a group is that when we fail, when we lose, we try to learn from it and look to win our next game. That's something I'm proud of, they gave everything today, but today we just weren't good enough to get the result."
Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa on Patrick Bamford: "For a goalscorer, it is very important to get back in the goals, and what I value the most is that for the Harrison goal he chose to give the pass, which is not usual for a goalscorer. It described Bamford more than anything, that he thinks more about the team than his result.
"It's a triumph against a rival who plays very well, who are in the upper part of the table, so this gives importance to our performance, but I have to admit that the game was even."
Leicester now go to Fulham in the Premier League on Wednesday at 6pm, before going to Wolves on Super Sunday, live on Sky Sports Premier League at 2pm.
Leeds host Everton at 7.30pm on Wednesday night in the Premier League, before a home clash with Crystal Palace on Monday Night Football, live on Sky Sports Premier League at 8pm.
