Stoke City 0-2 Leeds United: Joel Piroe double sends Daniel Farke's side top of Championship

Leeds United came out of the Staffordshire fog to move top of the Championship as Joel Piroe's goals in each half gave them a 2-0 win at Stoke.

The heavy fog around the bet365 Stadium, which at points looked like it may threaten the match, proved Leeds' biggest foe in their ascent back to the division summit, as they made light work of a poor Stoke side who are now without a win in nine games.

Piroe gave Leeds a deserved lead three minutes before the break, thanks to a fortunate bundle past Victor Johansson - before producing a finish of pure quality to score from an unlikely angle.

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There were no more worries about his second, nodding home a back-post header after Dan James had stood up a cross from the byline.

Ashley Phillips' missed header from an inviting Eric Bocat cross, just before Piroe completed his double, was Stoke's one opportunity of note as they were again booed off by the home support, who have not seen their side win a match since November 6.

Daniel Farke's Leeds move ahead of Sheffield United on goal difference following the Blades' home defeat by Burnley earlier on Boxing Day, with the Clarets a point further behind in third.

The managers

Stoke's Narcis Pelach:

"We had the good moment at the beginning of the game, we wanted to start with energy. But then the game totally changes.

"We knew they were going to have the ball more than us. They have speed and when they break the press, they create chances. When you are deep, they have talent to manipulate the ball well.

"The team, the body language was good, but we were beaten by quality. We had to be resilient, to try to be consistent and not get bored of defending.

"Then you need to take advantage when you have your chances. We couldn't score and then the game is more difficult."

Leeds' Daniel Farke:

"The three points, clean sheet and dominant performance pleased me. It wasn't our best performance, we missed too many chances but we show a lot of consistency and this was another important three points on the road.

"It's not an easy game to play on Boxing Day, so compliments to the lads for three points. In the first five or eight minutes we could have started better, we should have been a bit more concentrated.

"In the second half we could have scored even more. It was not our most shining performance but it was mature and an important one when the games come thick and fast like this.

"We did the job we wanted to do, and it's not easy when everyone else has already played."

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