Crystal Palace 4-1 Leeds United - Eberechi Eze's good day, Jack Harrison's bad day and a VAR turning point

Leeds United's second 4-1 defeat in the space of a week was another bad day at the office, but a very different game to the Elland Road loss to Leicester City.
GOOD DAY - Eberechi Eze scored a sublime free-kick to cap an impressive performance against Leeds United for Crystal Palace. Pic: GettyGOOD DAY - Eberechi Eze scored a sublime free-kick to cap an impressive performance against Leeds United for Crystal Palace. Pic: Getty
GOOD DAY - Eberechi Eze scored a sublime free-kick to cap an impressive performance against Leeds United for Crystal Palace. Pic: Getty

Like last Monday's clash with the Foxes, Marcelo Bielsa's Whites were up against a well-drilled defence who had counter attacking specialists on display, one of whom had a good day in possession. For Leeds, Jack Harrison was one of a number of players who endured a bad day, while the game seemed to hinge on a VAR decision that drew post-game criticism from Whites striker Patrick Bamford.

Good day

Eberechi Eze

He looked a Premier League talent last season for QPR and showed his talent again against Leeds. A lovely player to watch, in full flight, but a nightmare to dispossess. His free-kick was unsaveable. Leeds complained firstly that Palace should have put the ball out of play before Eze won the free-kick, and also bemoaned the decision to award it for Robin Koch's challenge, but there were no complaints about the quality of the strike. Eze was a terrific buy and although Roy Hodgson has been cautious in how much Premier League game time he gives the youngster, good things surely await.

Bad day

Jack Harrison

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Even when Harrison isn't getting the better of his full-back, he always has his work-rate and his killer first touch. He hugs the touchline for Leeds, gives them an ever-available outlet and when the ball comes his way he almost always traps it dead and hares off on the attack. There was no lack of effort from him against Palace but he was well marked, kept from getting to the byline and at times just couldn't get the ball under his control. It was an uncharacterstically poor all-round performance from the winger. His decision making was poor and he dallied on the ball too often, drawing calls from exasperated team-mates to pass the ball quicker or simply to pass the ball full stop.

Number of the day

17

Leeds have shipped a lot of goals this season, 17 in total, and didn't really deserve to concede four against Palace. The third was a complete fluke and the fourth came with Leeds chasing the game and taking risks in possession, albeit giving it away through sloppiness rather than brave endeavour that didn't work out. Regardless, they will have to tighten up, or as Marcelo Bielsa himself admitted after the game, they will suffer a harsh reality in the top flight. Mistakes are punished in a way that just couldn't be imagined as a Championship side. Strikers of the quality of Jamie Vardy and Wilfried Zaha simply do not let you off the hook, as Leeds have learned so emphatically in the past week.

Turning point

The VAR check

On such fine, fine margins games can turn. Had Patrick Bamford not pointed to where he wanted Klich to play the ball, he would have been onside when he ran through to dink a fine finish past Vincente Guaita. The goal was chalked off, however because his shoulder of his pointing arm was beyond the last defender. Quite why a striker should be punished in such instances will be beyond most reasonable football loving, goal loving humans but that is the rule. Football has made its bed and must now lie in it. Shortly after, with Mateusz Klich on the turf, Palace won a free-kick from which Eze scored the second. It was an uphill struggle then, away from home against such an organised and efficient side, even after the one Bamford scored that did count.

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