Friday 1 December 2017 09:38, UK
Two teams shrouded in Premier League history, aiming to return to the top flight, meet in the Sky Bet Championship on Friday night.
There's been a few tasty clashes between Leeds and Aston Villa in years gone by, so here's a reminder of six of the best...
A Wednesday night under the lights at Villa Park. But this time with a difference as Premier League football rolled into Birmingham for the first time. Villa started the season with a 1-1 draw away at Ipswich, while Leeds, defending champions of course, began at Elland Road with a 2-1 win over Wimbledon. And in this one, 29,151 saw the two sides play out a 1-1 draw.
Dalian Atkinson scored the first Premier League goal at Villa Park on 77 minutes, only for Gary Speed to equalise seven minutes later. The sides fared rather differently that year, Villa finishing second behind Manchester United under Ron Atkinson while Leeds limped to a disappointing 17th.
The biggest league win for either side in the Premier League era. Villa were chasing European football, with Leeds wallowing in mid-table. The gulf in class showed on the day. Dwight Yorke scored twice in the first half before Alan Wright added a third after the break.
Things got better for Villa and worse for Leeds. The next month, the two sides met in the League Cup final and it was the same result.
By 1999, both clubs were on the hunt for European football and John Gregory's Villa even topped the table after 20 games. The two sides met in February with Villa fourth and Leeds fifth. But Gregory's side were three games into a 10-match winless streak while Leeds' win that day was the first of seven in a row.
Two first-half goals from Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink had David O'Leary's team in control. Villa did hit back as Riccardo Scimeca scored on 76 minutes, but Leeds held on and would go on to finish above Villa in the table in the European spots. It was their first win at Villa Park since the title-winning season of 1991/92.
It's easy to forget now that the new millennium began with Leeds top of the Premier League. But it took just three days for Aston Villa to bring them crashing back down to earth. A full 18 points behind David O'Leary's side before kick-off, Villa showed up and stunned Elland Road.
Both goals came from the captain Gareth Southgate, tapping in the first and heading in the second, both from Paul Merson free-kicks. Sandwiched in between was a goal of the season contender from Harry Kewell, who fired in past David James from 35 yards. But that wasn't enough to take a point as Southgate headed in the winner on the hour mark.
Almost a year later and Leeds and Villa met in a pre-Christmas clash at Elland Road. Champions League football and injuries were taking their toll on O'Leary's side and they started the game in 10th, one place behind Villa.
Again, it was Southgate who did the damage for a second year in a row at Elland Road, scoring in the first half before George Boateng secured the points in the 88th minute. Jonathan Woodgate pulled one back late on, but Villa held on to win.
The reverse fixture came just a month later. Leeds were 12th in the table, with Villa having slipped to 13th in the league. But it was Leeds' turn to pick up an away win to end a run of four straight league defeats against Villa. Record signing Juan Pablo Angel made his home debut for Villa and they took the lead, Merson putting them in front, finishing a free-kick from Gareth Barry.
But Leeds hit back quickly, Robbie Keane feeding Lee Bowyer for the equaliser. And when Barry pulled down Keane in the box, Ian Harte won the game from the spot. Steve Stone and Merson both hit the woodwork, but Leeds took the three points home.
Don't miss the Sky Bet Championship clash between Leeds and Aston Villa, live on Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event from 7pm on Friday.
