Leeds United 3 Crewe Alexandra 0 - Captain Kalvin Phillips and Jack Harrison send Whites into Carabao Cup third round

The Whites created a host of opportunities against their League One opponents and finally made the breakthrough in the 79th minute as Phillips tucked away a Harrison corner.

The floodgates then opened soon after and Harrison helped himself to a brace after excellent work from Patrick Bamford who was brought off the bench with 21 minutes left.

Crewe began brightly but without fashioning a real chance as Phillips and Diego Llorente in particular both produced solid pieces of defending.

United's first opportunity came in the tenth minute when a block to a Tyler Roberts shot fell to Adam Forshaw whose firm drive was saved by Will Jaaskelainen.

Thirteen minutes later, a Llorente header from a Phillips free-kick was cleared off the line, shortly before Harrison unleashed a thunderous effort from range which Jaaskelainen tipped wide.

From the corner, Phillips looked certain to score when rising to meet Harrison's delivery but his effort flashed wide.

For Crewe, an Oliver Finney attempt from the edge of the box trickled well wide but a Roberts cross then picked out Rodrigo whose shot from the middle of the area was blocked.

Roberts had been sent clear down the right via a superb Llorente pass and another fine Llorente delivery then found Harrison who skinned his man before squaring to Roberts whose side footed attempt was also blocked.

The Whites were then denied by the frame of the goal three minutes before the break as a Junior Firpo attempt from a Harrison cutback clipped the post.

Moments later, Helder Costa worked an opening on the edge of the box but completely sliced his effort wide and the last chance of the half fell to Pascal Struijk who sent a header over from a Phillips free-kick.

Luke Ayling replaced the excellent Llorente during the interval and Leeds had a chance 22 seconds after the restart as Harrison's cross picked out Rodrigo who headed wide.

After being played in by Roberts, Harrison then blazed a golden opportunity wide before Ayling fired into the side netting at the end of a corner.

Just before the hour mark, Harrison cut in from the right and sent a curler just wide, after which Mateusz Klich was sent on for Adam Forshaw following a solid first-team return.

Leeds were more or less camped around the Crewe box and Roberts then played in Rodrigo who could only thump his effort wide

It was his last act as Whites head coach Marcelo Bielsa then called for Bamford as his final change in the 69th minute.

Crewe then went close five minutes later as Callum Ainley powered in a firm low shot from the edge of the box that Illan Meslier got down well to save.

But Leeds finally made the breakthrough in the 79th minute when a Harrison corner was rifled home by Phillips, much to the delight and relief of a packed Elland Road.

Bamford was sent clean through just one minute later but saw his low shot saved.

Three minutes later, Bamford was in again but once more saw Jaaskelainen equal to his effort, shortly before the Whites no 9 headed wide from a Klich cross.

But Leeds were all over their League One opponents and bagged a second goal with five minutes left as Bamford once again broke clear and squared the ball to Harrison who chipped Jaasklelainen to put the result beyond doubt.

The Whites and Harrison still weren't done and Harrison smashed home United's third goal after Jaaskelainen had saved from Roberts after a Bamford pull back.

Even then there could have been a fourth as Costa smashed an effort wide in added time.

Leeds United: Meslier, Shackleton, Struijk, Llorente (Ayling 46), Firpo, Phillips, Forshaw (Klich 60), Costa, Harrison, Roberts, Rodrigo (Bamford 69). Subs not used: Klaesson, Cresswell, Dallas, Summerville.

Crewe: Jaaskelainen, Ramsay, Adebisi, Thomas, Knight (Johnson 76), Mandron, Finney (Ainley 69), McFadzean, Murphy (Griffifths 89), Lundstram, Sass-Davies. Subs not used: Richards, MacDonald, Porter, Griffiths, Daniels.

Referee: Benjamin Speedie.

Attendance: 34,154.

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