'She wore white' - Leeds United fans on Leicester City victory, inspired move and Whites possibility

Here is what our YEP Jury had to say on a ninth consecutive league win against the Foxes including an inspired move and new Championship title chance.

DAVID WATKINS

Wow! That was some evening! The scenes at Elland Road during that final 15 minutes and then after the final whistle sum up why we love this game! Let’s not pretend this was one of our finest performances – Leicester will feel hard done by as, for 80 minutes, they were in control!

Both sides missed early chances but it looked ominous when Leicester scored and it was a poor goal for Leeds to give away, leaving Wout Faes unmarked at the back post at a corner. They were denied a second by a dubious offside flag too.

Leeds huffed and puffed but little was going for us and we were nowhere near our fluent best, Georginio Rutter in particular finding the Leicester press hard to get through. But, Georgi is made of strong stuff and kept trying and eventually, he was instrumental in all three goals, often bulldozing his way through the Foxes’ defence.

He set up Conor Roberts for the equaliser and then Archie Gray for the second. Finally, he was brought down and won the free-kick from which Patrick Bamford deflected home a Dan James strike. Incredible scenes, incredible night. I thought this might be the night when Lady Luck turned against us but, au contraire, she wore white for once!

Man of the match: Georginio Rutter.

NEIL GREWER

In my game preview I suggested wingers against full-backs could be an important feature of this game and also I referred to Leicester’s recent inefficiency in front of goal and Leeds’ improved efficiency of chance conversion.

I did not expect both the Leeds full-backs to be scoring (well, it should have been Archie Gray’s goal). Connor Roberts equalised soon after his introduction as substitute and perhaps more remarkably Gray, moved to left back where he has never played a first-team game to accommodate Roberts on the right, popped up with a great strike. Inspired substitution Mr Farke!

This followed a perfectly good goal being disallowed for Leicester who wasted several good chances and were the better team for most of the game, until Leeds hit their three worst goals of the season.

“Deflections are us!” But who cares. These things happen in football – just not usually in our favour. Elland Road rocked with unbelievable noise and true passion. What a night.

My man of the match was Archie Gray. He has such versatility and that deflected strike.

Man of the match: Archie Gray.

ANDY RHODES

Friday’s showdown with league leaders Leicester City had been on the horizon for months but, the closer we got to kick off last week, the more the magnitude of the game grew. The raucous atmosphere was matched by the quality of the football and, although there was only one goal in it for a while, Leicester looked like the side most up for the fight.

But Leeds have a staying power not matched by many other sides in the country. Georginio Rutter was the player who didn’t give up. For 70 minutes his tricks, turns and skill were perfectly read by the Foxes and it looked like they had United’s number. But, in that atmosphere, one goal always had the ability to change the game.

Daniel Farke’s substitutions, particularly bringing on Connor Roberts and moving Archie Gray over to left-back, was a masterstroke and Gray’s strike, in what was a tough evening defensively, was just what Leeds needed. The game would’ve been long over if not for numerous saves from Illan Meslier.

If Leeds can maintain this momentum it will keep huge pressure on not only Ipswich Town and Southampton, but Leicester City as well.

Man of the match: Illan Meslier.

KEITH INGHAM

How the heck do you describe what happened on Friday night in a few paragraphs? Elland Road rocked as United extended their winning run to nine thanks to a 3-1 win over the table-toppers Leicester. Leeds completed the ‘double’ over them too.

Joel Piroe fired over the bar before Illan Meslier saved superbly to give Leicester a corner and from it Wout Faes opened the scoring. In the first 35 minutes of the second half Leicester dominated, they had a second goal wrongly disallowed for offside and wasted two fantastic chances before something amazing, fantastic and incredible happened in the last 10 minutes.

First, Georginio Rutter broke into the area and the ball broke to substitute Connor Roberts who beat Mads Hermansen. Georginio then found Archie Gray, who took aim and it hit Faes on the way into the net.

Two became three as time was running out. Rutter was upended just outside the area, Dan James hit the free-kick towards goal and it hit Patrick Bamford’s outstretched knee to go past Hermansen. I’ve been to Leeds since the 70’s and seen some amazing days and nights but Friday’s amazing comeback win will live with me for a very long time.

Man of the match: Illan Meslier.

MIKE GILL

At last the Whites were facing worthy opposition and it was immediately apparent that Leicester City were a cut above most of the opponents faced in 2023/24. Things appeared to be going according to plan for Leicester when they took the lead on 15 minutes as Wout Faes neatly finished off a set piece at the far post.

This did not exactly stun the Leeds supporters into silence but the jam-packed Elland Road was quieter than it should have been. A first half of missed chances and growing frustration gave way to a second period where Leeds were in retreat and only great stops from Ilan Meslier, terrible finishing from Leicester and a dubious disallowed goal kept United in the game.

As the clock wound down and Connor Roberts gratefully smashed the ball in the net, the atmosphere changed in an instant and Elland Road was at its deafening best. Then Archie Gray with a little help from Faes and friends and Dan James via Patrick Bamford’s knee left Leicester stunned and defeated. A memorable victory and a great tribute to this side’s never-say-die attitude. Now all things are possible!

Man of the match: Georginio Rutter.