Daniel Farke headlines were pre-written as Leeds United defy sudden noise - Graham Smyth's Verdict

There was certainly enough of a 'Leeds, that' feeling in the air as Elland Road filled up for its first action of 2024. Karl Darlow has been fit and available to sit on the bench all season and yet when actually needed, for the second game of Illan Meslier's suspension, he had got himself injured. A dislocated thumb, sustained in the warm-up for a defeat at West Brom that he managed to soldier through, kept the second-choice stopper out of the clash with Birmingham City. Kristoffer Klaesson, who looked nailed on for a summer exit and yet failed to get a move or a single minute of competitive action in Leeds colours at any level since June, found himself in goal on New Year's Day.

The visitors, Birmingham City, came with a record of just two wins in 14 games, the kind of form that can and has so suddenly been flipped on its head when Leeds United are the opposition. The referee was Elland Road 'favourite' Keith Stroud. What could possibly go wrong? Well if the sight of Sam Byram coming off with another hamstring problem in the opening minutes was anything to go by, just about anything.

This was a big game for Farke and as mad as it might sound to a neutral, he could scarcely afford for anything to go wrong. There was a reaction to the defeat at West Brom, a sudden, visceral reaction borne of frustration at Leeds' away struggles against defensive sides, the slip down into fourth and the general distaste for the idea of the play-offs. There was a very real hunger to question his tactics, his selection choices and suggestions, in some quarters, of under achievement given the squad at his disposal.

So in that context, amid that noise, going into a game against just about anyone in the Championship with your third-choice goalkeeper, without Pascal Struijk dictating play from the back and losing Byram so early on, was less than ideal to say the least. What's more, Farke went for something different in attack, dropping Joel Piroe and playing Georginio Rutter at 10, behind Patrick Bamford. New year, new Leeds? It was a big call. Not quite in the ballpark of Birmingham getting rid of John Eustace to employ Wayne Rooney, but it had to pay off.

Initially, there was little to suggest it was going to be an ideal result or scoreline because though Leeds had the better of the first 15 minutes, finding some space and creating shooting opportunities, they rarely troubled John Ruddy in goal and Elland Road was more engaged by the presence of Rooney on the touchline. It was a bit flat all round.

What the game needed, badly, was a goal and who better to score it than Bamford? On a day when things threatened to be as complicated as only Leeds can make them, the opener was simplicity itself. Daniel James, restored to the starting line-up, simply feinted to run at his man, bought himself space to cross and plonked it right on Bamford's head in the six-yard box. The striker still had to get the finish right and the relief in the stadium, and in his face, was palpable.

With the lead, Leeds looked a little more relaxed in possession. Rutter, popping up everywhere, began to turn it on and Junior Firpo appeared in the area to tee up James, whose shot was held by Ruddy. Birmingham's lack of threat and the subsequent lack of jeopardy in the game meant Elland Road also relaxed. What it needed was another goal and James was the man to supply it, first-timing a low cut-back from Firpo in off a defender's body.

Either side of half-time there were little reminders that Leeds were actually in a competitive league fixture, Klaesson forced into his only save by Siriki Dembele and Juninho Bacuna getting in behind Firpo to briefly threaten. These moments reinforced the need for Leeds to be ruthless and put the game to bed, because they had all the possession and ability with which to do it. The football at times was very pretty indeed, Rutter was in that mood to make defenders look silly and Summerville was begging for a spot-on feed to get his 12th goal of the season. When Bamford strode onto a loose ball just outside the area and struck the post, Farke's reaction showed just how badly he wanted the third.

Midway through the half that goal arrived to confirm this would not be the start to 2024 that some had feared, and very nice it was too. Rutter scooped the ball over the back line delightfully to put Firpo in and the left-back looked up to pick out Summerville for a trademark low, hard finish into the far bottom corner.

There should have followed two or three more goals, the post denying Firpo a Whites-equivalent of a red-letter day and Ruddy preventing Ethan Ampadu from opening his Leeds account, but with the points secure and Elland Road having its fun with Rooney, there was nothing to grumble about.

Much sterner tests will come - Birmingham's performance was among the very worst seen in Leeds this season - and the questions Farke must answer on the road remain, but Rutter's impact at 10 was significant enough to warrant further investigation and the result trumped the comfortable scoreline in importance. This was a must win and Leeds did win, well.