Leeds United put in one of their grittiest performances of the campaign, earning a hard-fought 1-1 draw at Aston Villa to move six points clear of the relegation zone.
Up against a Villa side chasing Champions League qualification, the Whites showed real resolve. They battled across the pitch, matched the hosts for energy and organisation, and never looked overawed by the occasion. It was a valuable point, not just because of the breathing space it creates in the table, but because of the confidence and maturity it reflected.
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Anton Stach’s brilliant free-kick shortly after the half-hour mark gave Leeds the lead at Villa Park, and for much of the game it seemed that moment of quality would be enough to secure a memorable away victory. But Tammy Abraham’s late equaliser meant the points were shared.
Aston Villa vs Leeds United – Match Stats Comparison
Aston Villa Stat Leeds United
13 Shots 8
4 Shots on Target 4
74% Possession 26%
457 Passes 241
89% Pass Accuracy 71%
11 Fouls 17
1 Yellow Cards 4
0 Red Cards 0
4 Offsides 5
7 Corners 2
Still, there’s plenty for Leeds to build on. Performances like this suggest they can compete with strong sides away from home, and they’re increasingly shaping up as a team capable of staying clear of relegation without it going down to the wire.
Wayne Rooney shares his honest feelings on Leeds United
Leeds have managed to maintain a six-point buffer over teams in the relegation zone, with 11 league games still to play this season.
Wayne Rooney has insisted that Leeds should consider themselves unlucky they didn’t win at Aston Villa on Saturday and stressed that they remain a tough team to play against.
He feels Leeds got it tactically spot on at Villa Park, were brave, and players such as Anton Stach and Ethan Ampadu helped them control things in the middle of the park.
Rooney said on Match of the Day, “Leeds were very unlucky not to come away from the game with three points.
“They’re compact, and they’ve been very good over the last few months, they’re very difficult to play against, they know what they’re doing, they’re organised and then in Calvert-Lewin up front they’ve got someone who’s scoring goals.”
“I thought they did [get it tactically right]. I thought they were really organised, disciplined, but also brave as well. They were going man-to-man at times throughout the game, but also, they were in a block, and they cut the space out in the middle of the pitch and forced Aston Villa wide.
“Ampadu and Stach, who were brilliant by the way all game, Ampadu starts the press off [in the scenario hes analysing].”
Leeds are closing in on safety
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery praised Leeds for the way they approach football, and Abraham believes the Whites are almost certain to survive this season.
Stach’s effort had all the makings of a winner, and had Leeds seen it through, it might have virtually wrapped up their Premier League survival.
That said, in the cold light of day, taking a point away from a Villa side chasing Champions League football is a very respectable outcome for a team fighting at the other end of the table.
Premier League Bottom Six – Current Standings
Relegation battle snapshot from the latest Premier League table
Pos Club P W D L GF GA GD Pts
15 Leeds United 27 7 10 10 37 46 -9 31
16 Tottenham Hotspur 26 7 8 11 36 37 -1 29
17 Nottingham Forest 26 7 6 13 25 38 -13 27
18 West Ham United 27 6 7 14 32 49 -17 25
19 Burnley 27 4 7 16 29 52 -23 19
20 Wolverhampton Wanderers 27 1 7 19 18 50 -32 10
It was another disciplined, hard-working display that further strengthened Leeds’ survival credentials and highlighted why they’re no longer being widely tipped for the drop.
There’s far more to be positive about than negative, and on performances like this, not many would be willing to bet against Leeds preserving their Premier League status come the end of the season.