The added Leeds United bonuses to necessity against Norwich City but lingering key issue

A 1-0 triumph with the winner flying off someone’s backside would have been fine.

This, though, is Leeds United, where life is rarely, if ever, straightforward.

Yet whilst not exactly great for the heart, United ended up getting more than just the crucial three points which were accompanied by an encouraging performance and finale that will live long in the memory for those present.

It was hard to know exactly what to expect from Leeds heading into yesterday’s clash against the team sat at the bottom of the division.

The Whites really should have taken the full three-point haul from new boss Jesse Marsch’s first game in charge at Leicester City.

Instead, United paid a heavy price for failing to take their chances – 19 attempts to be precise – which meant Marsch’s side headed for Thursday’s clash at home to Aston Villa following five-straight defeats.

Worrying, clearly, but not as worrying as the performance which followed against Villa, Liam Cooper admitting in yesterday’s programme notes that the mid-week display was not good enough and nowhere near the levels that United have now set for themselves.

But whilst the strength of the opposition must be considered, the performance in Sunday’s epic win against the Canaries was a big step back in the right direction although the habit of squandering not just chances but openings remains a concern.

For Leeds, the only figure that mattered from Sunday’s encounter was the result.

The Whites are finally back to winning ways after their terrible run of six-straight defeats – the start of which cost Marcelo Bielsa his job – and the Premier League table now makes for slightly kinder viewing.

Yesterday’s victory sent the fifth-bottom Whites four points clear of the drop zone which is now headed by Watford although second-bottom Burnley who are five points adrift of United have two games in hand.

But the Clarets are hardly picking up points hand over fist and the same goes for fourth-bottom Everton who are four points behind Leeds having played three games less.

It’s hard to know exactly how many points will prove enough for survival but 29 would have been enough last season and it might not need a huge amount more this time too.

Leeds are now up to 26 and should be fine if playing somewhere near to their best in tandem with taking their chances and the signs against the Canaries were positive.

Sunday’s contest was full of incident but Jesse Marsch’s side should have been out of sight by half-time following Rodrigo’s 14th-minute opener, Patrick Bamford, Pascal Struijk and Raphinha squandering particularly good chances.

Class act Raphinha has been well below par of late but yesterday’s display was much more like it and the Brazilian was extremely unlucky to be twice denied by the crossbar.

After a brief Norwich rally at the start of the second half, Leeds then created further chances after the break but often chose the wrong options when attacking like for example when Dan James went for goal instead of playing in Mateusz Klich.

Gallingly, by the 91st minute, the Whites were suddenly heading for a 1-1 draw, Leeds surviving the awarding of a Canaries penalty after VAR exonerated Luke Ayling but the relief was only short lived as Kenny McLean tucked home Teemu Pukki’s cross.

Elland Road fell almost silent.

For a few minutes, it even looked like Norwich might bag a winner.

But Leeds, Raphinha and Joe Gelhardt had other ideas, the teen striker sending Elland Road wild when tucking home Raphinha’s cross in the 94th minute though even then only a strong save by Illan Meslier prevented Pukki from hitting back again and Norwich leaving with a 2-2 draw.

Things would have looked and felt very differently had Pukki indeed drawn the Canaries level.

But things will look even better than they do if the Whites take more of their chances in their last nine games.

Not safe yet, nowhere near. But they are at least on their way.

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