And with that, I’ll bid you farewell. Here’s the match report. Thanks for reading, and season’s greetings.
Kieran McKenna speaks: “It wasn’t our day and it’s a difficult afternoon, but I thought the first half the gulf between the teams wasn’t a 3-0. The moments went against us and they’re such a good team in the transitions. There was a crystal clear foul on Connor Chaplin in the buildup to the first goal but we didn’t defend the corner – we need to do better. Once we’re 1-0 down it’s difficult, we looked comfortable without threatening so going in at 0-3 down was tough. I’ve not seen whether there was a foul for the second goal but the first was a big one so early in the game. I haven’t seen the penalty decision back we shouldn’t let them break out of that attacking scenario. I wouldn’t have done anything different approach-wise – we also know how our season’s going, we didn’t approach it any different. W’ve had an incredible first half of the season, today didn’t go our way aganst a really strong team but it’s a 46-game season.”
Daniel Farke’s take: “I can’t praise [the players] enough against one of the best sides in the league – one of the most mature performances of the entire season, we kept them really quiet, a couple of half-chances in the first half and second half and that’s all. Against a really food side who deserve to be in the top positions and the most important topic was we kept going when we were in the lead. In all areas we were really strong.”
Some on-pitch chat with Crysencio Summerville and man of the match Georginio Rutter, who says: “I’m very happy. The target is to gos traight back to the Premier League so we had to win.” His teammate Summerville adds: “When you score early you can builod momentum , Georgie is formidable he’s the best, creatgive like me, and we’ve got a good connection. Our plan is jut to focus on ourselves [not the teams above us] – don’t watch first and second place, just ourselves.”
And to add to the festive mood at Elland Road, Manchester United have gone and lost again.
Leeds celebrate to the familiar strains of Rockin’ All Over The World. They were superb today – confident in and out of possession, purposeful, high pressing and passing with aplomb more and more as the game went on. The top two is a realistic target for them for sure. Ipswich struggled for a plan B once their passing game got nullified, but they’re renowned for bouncing back strongly from their rare defeats so shouldn’t be too despondent.
Full-time: Leeds 4-0 Ipswich
And that’s that. A match whose result wasn’t in doubt from about half an hour in.
90+2 mins: The game now meandering to the finish without tension, Ipswich seeing a bit more of the ball.
90 mins: We’ll have five extra minutes.
89 mins: This feels like one of the pivotal results of the entire Championship season. How each side responds to it could determine much in the race for automatic promotion. Harness has looked livelyish since coming on and his cross causes a bit of panic in the Leeds area and prefaces Clarke dashing in for the byline but he runs it out of player after a challenge.
87 mins: Bamford clatters Clarke, who’s kept going manfully on the Ipswich right, but escapes a booking. But it gives Ipswich at least a chance to knock it about a bit again but Chaplin is again dispossessed as he tries to ferret into the box.
84 mins: A final Ipswich sub: Brandon Williams on for Leif Davis, who’s had an unhappy return to Elland Road.
83 mins: Harness tries to get it launched, uncharacteristically, but his ball forward for Chaplin is overhit. Easily gathered
81 mins: Leeds subs: Piroe and the outstanding Rutter off, Bamford and Joseph on.
80 mins: Leeds come again, Summerville darting into the box on the inside-left, laying it out wide for the sub Firpo, but he makes a slight mess of his first touch and his cross is easily gathered by the keeper.
79 mins: Ipswich fans’ minds will be focusing more on the massive Boxing Day set-to with Leicester now, I imagine, as well as perhaps grabbing a pint in Whitelocks or the Scarborough when they get back to Leeds city centre.
77 mins: Pass, pass, pass, pass, pass. Leeds going through the motions joyously now.
76 mins: I feel as if I’ve jinxed Ipswich here by praising them so effusively in my preamble. They can’t even touch the ball at the moment, as it’s all gone a bit 1971 v Southampton from a Leeds point of view.
73 mins: The corner is cleared but possession, momentum, territory and seasonal good cheer remain firmly with Leeds.
72 mins: Subs: Leeds win another corner but make some more subs with Kamara and the excellent Spence off for Firpo and Gruev.
69 mins: Off the bar again! Spence tees up Rutter after a long spell of Leeds possession and he thumps one off the crossbar from 12 yards.
An email from Timothy Smith: “Leeds fan in the USA stuck watching West Ham-MU. You were right it is DULL. MU in all white kit though, trying vainly to emulate the mighty Whites. I have news though, they are not scoring four goals today!”
68 mins: That flurry of subs was clearly made by McKenna with squad protection in mind, though only Brighton in the top four divisions have scored more through subs this season than Ipswich.
67 mins: Ipswich subs: Burns, Broadhead, Morsy and Hirst off for Ball, Harness, Jackson and Hutchinson.
Gray is OK to continue
65 mins: Some nice link-up play from Ipswich through Burns and Clarke again founders on the edge of the box and Leeds clear and break through Gray, who’s crudely upended and needs a bit of treatment.
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62 mins: Summerville’s free-kick is forcefully headed clear by Tuanzebe, but Leeds continue to dominate territory. Morsy is perhaps lucky to avoid a booking for going in late on Summerville.
60 mins: Leeds sub: Gnonto comes on for the busy James, who is warmly applauded.
60 mins: Ipswich booking: Tuanzebe Leeds’ Ethan Ampadu is being serenaded to the tune of the 1984 Black Lace “classic” as their side continue to knock it about for fun. Summerville gets clear after a long ball and is hauled back by Tuanzebe, who sees yellow.
58 mins: If anything, Leeds have been even more in control since half-time but Ipswich finally get some sapce with Chaplin and Burns combining on the righ but when the ball’s played in to the box Struijk clears easily. And Leeds break through James
57 mins: Ipswich get some respite when the corner comes to nowt and a cross back in is overhit and goes out for a throw.
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55 mins: Leeds nearly score again when Summerville then Piroe find space inside the area and Ipswich eventually scramble away for a corner.
54 mins: Elland Road’s having a bit of a party – they suspect this one’s in the bag now – and Marching Alltogether rings out round the ground. Ipswich can’t get going at all.
Goal! Leeds 4-0 Ipswich (Piroe 52)
Ipswich aren’t compromising on their passing game but just aren’t able to play it in dangerous areas and Leeds break again and score again, Rutter again the supplier after Gray started the counter, riding a couple of tackles before it’s worked to Piroe, just on the left centre of the area – and he belts it into the left hand corner.
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50 mins: Rutter is putting a proper shift in though this time overruns the ball into touch after winning possession on halfway.
49 mins: Ipswich had only three touches inside the Leeds penalty area in the first half – extraordinary for a side such as them, and testament to Leeds’ industry.
47 mins: Off the bar from Leeds! Ipswich’s pasing game is again overwhelmed by Leeds pressing, and they break again. Rutter piles forward, feeds Piroe, who raps the bar from an angle.
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46 mins: Resuming the same tone, Tuanzebe is closed down robustly and immediately by Summerville but he handballed in doing so.
Peep! And Ipswich get us back under way.
The Ipswich players are back out on the pitch early, Leeds’s now follow them.
Another plug, this time for Barney Ronay’s column on why Wrighty’s the right man to rename the London Overground after:
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On other channels …
Goalless and drab, by the sounds, down in Stratford. Think we’ve got the better option here to be honest.
Half-time reading: Leeds fans should enjoy this too, on Brian Deane and the last Christmas Eve Premier League goal.
Half-time: Leeds 3-0 Ipswich
And here ends a first half of dominance by Leeds. They’ve been magnificent, pressing hard, countering with menace and giving Ipswich barely a sniff. That 10-point gap between the teams looks deceptive here, and all grist to the mill for those who fear that last season’s three relegated teams and three promoted teams are simply going to swap places again this term. Good old parachute payments. Whatever, Daniel Farke’s side deserve to be well ahead, and Kieran McKenna has some thinking to do to find some bite in his side. See you in a bit.
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45+2 mins: Ipswich look nervy in possession, which is so unlike them, and Rutter almost seizes on another loose pass but Hladky clears the danger
We’ll have three additional minutes.
Goal! Leeds 3-0 Ipswich (Summerville 45pen)
Summerville sends an emphatic kick to the keeper’s right. The net billows. Game over? It was 4-3 last time …
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Penalty to Leeds
A quick break initiated by Rutter ends with Summerville darting into the area past Davis, who fouls him
42 mins: Ipswich’s building from the back finally rattles Leeds a bit and ends in Spence fouling Burns out on the right, giving them a free-kick in a promising position, but the ball in towards Tuanzebe is muscled clear for an Ipswich throw, which Leeds also clear.
40 mins: James wins a corner down the right after another tussle with Davis. Tuanzebe easily nods away the subsequent delivery and the ball is bashed harmlessly back in and behind for a goalkick.
38 mins: A bit more aggression from Hirst wins Ipswich an attacking throw on the left, it’s hoyed into the mixer by Davis – then repelled, as are two subsequent phases and Leeds can build again …
35 mins: Chaplin sniffs an opportunity but he’s smothered by three defenders on the edge of the area. He’s lacked support here – Broadhead and Hirst have been anonymous for Ipswich so far.
34 mins: Leeds booking: Rodon supplies James with a hospital pass, Davis seizes on it and is then inelegantly bundled over by Dan James and the Welsh winger is given a yellow
33 mins: A long spell of Leeds possession keeps Ipswich pegged back – they’re completely bossing this game at the minute – from right to left, back then forward before a foul by Spence on Morsi gives the visitors respite.
29 mins: Booking: Harry Clarke miscontrols a wide crossfield ball aimed for Summerville with his hand and goes in the book
27 mins: “You’re Leeds and you know you are,” taunt the Leeds fans at their former player Davis after his og. Ipswich respond impressively, Chaplin smacking a post with a stunning shot from distance.
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Goal! Leeds 2-0 Ipswich (Davis 26og)
Defensive tenacity from Gray then James on the right sparks a swift Leeds break, and Somerville skips clear down the left, his pace causing panic and his ball in is deflected into the net by Davis, who didn’t see it properly. Leeds are flying!
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22 mins: Chance for Ipswich! Chaplin and Burns work their neat triangles and find Broadhead who cuts right and fires just wide from 20 yards – the first proper opening the visitors have had.
21 mins: Spence is having a fine game, defensively and offensively, and gets to the byline on the left and gets in a cross which hits Clarke on the arm/midriff but appeals for handball get short shrift.
20 mins: Leeds break through James, in that space behind Leif Davis, his cross for Piroe is headed clear but the hosts come again before the ball in is safely gatherec by Hladky
18 mins: Chaplin, dropping deep as is his wont, releases Burns on the right with a delicious slide-rule pass but again Leeds muzzle the danger through the ever handy Spence.
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16 mins: When you score and win as much as Ipswich have in recent times it’s sometimes harder to react when you’re on the back foot and they can’t find space or joy going forward at the minute. And they’re denied what looks an obvious corner when Clarke sees the ball seemingly deflect behind off Kamara.
14 mins: Dan James is having some fun on the Leeds right and he piles forward into vacant space before blootering his shot into the South Stand.
13 mins: IIpswich do get a foul this time as James clatters Tuanzebe on the edge of the Ipswich area but it’s another example of Leeds’ aggressive pressing.
11 mins: Leeds have deserved this lead and are closing down Ipswich’s attacking outlets smartly, Burns the latest to be crowded out on the right.
It was a textbook inswinging corner really, the initial header from Piroe was palmed away by Hladky straight into the path of Struijk, who bundled it over the line. Ipswich were still stewing about the non-free-kick against Chaplin but they didn’t compose themselves.
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Goal! Leeds 1-0 Ipswich (Struick 8)
And Leeds score from the corner!
6 mins: Davis is found bu Tanzuebe on the left as Ipswich start to settle and pass but Leeds push them back and then break as Summerville releases Spence on the left but it’s cleared. Kieran McKenna is angry at a perceived foul on Chaplin.
5 mins: Ipswich can be prone to conceding early and they’re looking just a touch nervy here in the face of Leeds’s assertive pressing, but they get clear on thge counter through Burns on the right who finds Broadhead on the left but Leeds clear the ball sent in for Chaplin.
3 mins: Leeds knock it about well and James gets clear on the right but his cross for Summerville is blocked and cleared.
1 min: Early excitement as Leeds swarm forward on the counter-press and Rutter puts James clear but he’s fractionally offside.
Peep! And Leeds get us under way, attacking the South Stand end.
Some quick pre-match words from the managers. Daniel Farke says it’s “always crucial to start games well but there’s no guarantee you can against a team also on the front foot like Ipswich. Kieran McKenna says the crowd will Ipswich “just have to focus on executing our details”.
Out come the teams
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Elland Road might be a bit in need of a spruce-up these days but it’s still a cracking arena for atmosphere on a big day, and this should be one of those, even if lunchtime kick-offs can sometimes muffle that a little.
Some pre-match reading, on Leeds prodigy Archie Gray:
And a piece Nick Ames did with Ipswich keeper Vaclav Hladky a couple of months back:
The teams are in
📋 Your #LUFC Starting XI... pic.twitter.com/cEJirpdy2y
— Leeds United (@LUFC) December 23, 2023
Up the Town! 👊#itfc pic.twitter.com/QdiUauCxGt
— Ipswich Town (@IpswichTown) December 23, 2023
Preamble
Has any fanbase among the 92 League clubs had more fun watching football over the past 18 months than Ipswich Town’s? Supporters of Brighton and Wrexham might want to be in that conversation, as I guess would be fans of that team that win almost every competition they enter. But Ipswich have been having an absolute whale of a time, with Kieran McKenna’s exhilarating side romping to a 98-point promotion last season, and following it up this term by settling themselves in the Championship’s top two from the off, demonstrating emphatically that the style that worked in the third tier can do the job at the next level up. Even when dropping points – as they did in last week’s fizzing derby draw with Norwich – Ipswich have offered rich entertainment, supplementing the talents of those that helped them to promotion in 2022-23 – the likes of Conor Chaplin, Wes Burns and Sam Morsy – with well judged new signings such as George Hirst and Massimo Luongo.
But they’ve another tricky task this lunchtime, at a revitalised Leeds. Daniel Farke hasn’t exactly restored the feelgood days of Marcelo Bielsa yet, but after a couple of seasons of drift and confusion culminating in relegation Leeds look like a functioning team again, and are well placed to pounce should either of the top two hit a slump. Theirs is still a team boasting plenty of Premier League quality and experience – Crycensio Summerville, Dan James, Joe Rodon, Luke Ayling et al. Farke has said he will rotate his squad during the busy Christmas period, but is expected to go with his strongest available lineup today.
Ipswich have no fresh injury concerns and McKenna is promising his usual attacking approach at Elland Road. “I think we showed in all three games last week that our preference is always to try and be as aggressive as we can, try and win the ball high up the pitch, try and defend high up the pitch, try and keep possession in the opposition’s half when possible,” he told the East Anglia Daily Times.
It’s third v second, it finished 4-3 between these teams earlier in the season (in Leeds’s favour), and it’s on. I’m looking forward to this and so should you be.
Kick-off: 12.30pm GMT
