EZGJAN ALIOSKI and Pablo Hernandez fired Leeds to the top of the Championship with a 2-0 victory over Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield.
Two second-half goals did the damage as the visitors stretched their impressive unbeaten run to nine games and leapfrogged West Brom.
Leeds continued their push for promotion with a 2-0 win away at Yorkshire rivals HuddersfieldCredit: PA:Press Association
Ezgjan Alioski fired the visitors in front five minutes after half-time from a cornerCredit: Getty Images – Getty
And the win was also Leeds’ sixth in a row, keeping the pressure on the Baggies ahead of their home clash with Swansea tomorrow.
Defeat for the Terriers, though, means they have not won in five matches despite a promising start when new manager Danny Cowley arrived in September.
Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa was forced into two forced changes with Kalvin Phillips suspended and skipper Liam Cooper injured.
That meant opportunities for versatile Macedonian Alioski and Swiss defender Gaetano Berardi.
Town started brightly and created a good early chance. A quick free-kick from Juninho Bacuna caught the Leeds defence sleeping, but goalkeeper Kiko Casilla made a smart point-blank block to thwart Steve Mounie.
At the other end Mateusz Klich struck the post from Hernandez’s clever corner.
Centre-back Berardi made a superb block to get in the way of a Bacuna thunderbolt soon after, before Casilla produced a stunning one-handed save to deny Mounie again.
And Casilla was tested by Mounie again when the Beninese headed goalwards.
The Spanish keeper came close to undoing all his hard work by almost gifting the hosts the lead just before the break.
He rushed off his line and was caught out but captain Luke Ayling spared his blushes by somehow heading Karlan Grant’s strike over the bar.
Leeds came out of the blocks firing on all cylinders after the restart and took the lead after only five minutes.
Alioski rifled into the bottom right corner after Huddersfield failed to clear a corner.
Casilla denied Elias Kachunga an equaliser shortly after the hour mark with a wonderful close-range save from the midfielder’s header.
Then Hernandez bagged a second Leeds goal to kill off the contest, heading home unmarked at the back post from Jack Harrison’s inch-perfect cross.
Grant somehow headed off target with nine minutes remaining and substitute Matty Daly dragged a shot inches wide of the right upright as Leeds saw out a worthy win.
Pablo Hernandez headed in at the back post to ensure the visitors took all three pointsCredit: Getty Images – Getty
The win was Leeds’ sixth on the bounce and takes them ahead of West Brom at the top of the tableCredit: Getty Images – Getty
The defeat for Huddersfield means Danny Cowley’s side are without a win in five matchesCredit: PA:Press Association
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
