Leeds United 0 Aston Villa 1: Whites setback as Anwar El Ghazi lays Elland Road ghost

The only goal of the game arrived in the fifth minute via Anwar Al Ghazi, who was sent off in the 1-1 draw at Elland Road of April 2019 and who played under Marcelo Bielsa at Lillle.

The Villa forward reacted quickest to a wayward shot from Ollie Watkins as he slipped and Leeds just never got going as Villa gained revenge for their 3-0 defeat to the Whites suffered at Villa Park back in October.

Leeds went close after just 25 seconds when Patrick Bamford's sliced shot narrowly evaded Raphinha at the far post.

United then survived Villa's shouts for a penalty in the third minute as a corner struck Luke Ayling's hand.

But Villa went ahead in the fifth minute when El Ghazi reacted quickest to a Watkins shot that sailed through the Whites box before being fired past Illan Meslier from close range.

Emi Martinez then pulled off a strong save to deny a firm drive from Tyler Roberts after a Raphinha effort was blocked before Meslier tipped a rising attempt from El Ghazi over the bar.

Meslier was then equal to another low El Ghazi attempt and Stuart Dallas then fired wide at the other end.

From a Raphinha corner, Liam Cooper headed straight at Martinez but another low drive from El Ghazi then flew just wide as Villa threatened a second.

Roberts then lashed a wild shot over from the edge of the box and from a clever Raphinha corner, Helder Costa saw his shot blocked.

Ollie Watkins raced away at the other end but his attempt was saved by Meslier and Martinez then easily gathered a Luke Ayling header from a Raphinha free kick.

Tempers then began to fray in the second half as Tyler Roberts tangled with Matt Targett and the pair were both booked.

Targett survived a series of other fouls that could have landed him a second booking.

Gjanni Alioski and Jack Harrison were introduced for Pascal Struijk and Costa but the first chance of the second half fell to Villa as a Tyrone Mings header from a corner was deflected over.

From a Villa counter, El Ghazi squandered another chance when blazing over and Pablo Hernandez then replaced Roberts for the final Whites change.

Hernandez was responsible for United's first attempt of the second half in the 71st minute as his shot was deflected wide and Mateusz Klich then blazed a wild shot wide.

Raphinha then should have equalised in the 89th minute but the Brazilian winger could only head wide at the far post from a Harrison cross.

Leeds United: Meslier, Llorente, Cooper, Struijk (Alioski 53), Ayling, Klich, Dallas, Raphinha, Costa (Harrison 65), Roberts (Hernandez 71), Bamford. Subs not used: Casilla, Cresswell, Davis, Jenkins, Huggins, Gelhardt.

Aston Villa: Martinez, Elmohamady, Konsa, Mings, Targett, J Ramsey (Sanson 79), Nakamba, McGinn, Traore, Watkins, El Ghazi (Trezeguet 88). Subs not used: Heaton, Taylor, Kesler, Engels, Luiz, Barkley, Davis.

https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/yorkshire-evening-post-launch-leeds-united-only-digital-subscription-ahead-premier-league-campaign-2967964

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Thank you Laura Collins