Louise Taylor was at Elland Road this afternoon. Her report has landed, and is one click away. Thanks for reading this MBM.
Antonio Conte talks to BT. “We played a really good game. It’s not easy to play against Leeds. (!) I think we played in the right way against a very strong team who put pressure on the start until the end. If you are not prepared, you risk losing the ball and conceding goals. But we prepared really well and I am pleased for the players. It is all right to play good football but to be a winning team you need to play every game in the right spirit. You need the right concentration and determination, and today I had many answers in this aspect. Today is a starting point for us, to try for the rest of the season to improve. We are working very hard. It’s the difference between a team that plays to enjoy, and one that plays to win something important.”
Marcelo Bielsa is in defiant form on BT. “I think the result is fair. We could have reduced the differences however. But we were never able to dominate the game. Even if we created chances, we never had a feeling of clear dominance over the opponent.” Have teams worked out how to beat Leeds? “It’s a possible interpretation.” Is it relegation form? “These are conclusions that the reality invites you to make. But there is also another way of looking at things, and not exclusively the way you are utilising them.” Is this a time to compromise, change principles, make the side less open, Des Kelly asks. “Were you at the game? That’s what we tried to do in the first half, but it didn’t give us the results we were looking for. We had a more conservative profile in the first half, and a more daring one in the second. Neither of the two ways gave a result. Perhaps what you are referring to is to play more in our own half, [a tactic] that up until now, I haven’t used. Everything that hasn’t been attempted is always imagined as a solution.”
A sweet moment as Kane is asked about Christian Eriksen’s possible return to action for Brentford this afternoon. “We are delighted for Chris. Hopefully he’s able to play some minutes and get back to Premier League football. Everyone remembers the day in the summer, so to have him back so quick is a special feeling. Hopefully we can go and watch it somewhere and hopefully see him come on.” To Kane’s left, Son nods vigorously with every word spoken, a huge smile playing across his face. Eriksen is on the bench for the Bees against Newcastle this afternoon.
Harry Kane speaks to BT. “Obviously it was a disappointing result against Burnley. A tough place to go, but coming off the back of the City game, it would have been nice to continue that momentum. We had to bounce back today and I thought our display was fantastic today, and we thoroughly deserved the three points.” As for his record-breaking partnership with Son? “We’ve been playing with each other for a long, long time now and just understand each other’s games well. When I drop deep, Sonny knows where to run, and hopefully I’m able to put him in, and you saw that for the last goal. We enjoy playing together.”
Tottenham’s dream of Champions League football isn’t dead yet. Leeds, by contrast, need to get their act together and quick. Look at the hit their goal difference has taken in the last four matches. They were -11 after 22 games!
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Man City | 26 | 46 | 63 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 26 | 50 | 60 |
| 3 | Chelsea | 25 | 31 | 50 |
| 4 | Man Utd | 26 | 10 | 46 |
| 5 | Arsenal | 24 | 11 | 45 |
| 6 | West Ham | 26 | 11 | 42 |
| 7 | Tottenham Hotspur | 25 | 3 | 42 |
| 8 | Wolverhampton | 25 | 4 | 40 |
| 9 | Southampton | 26 | -3 | 35 |
| 10 | Brighton | 25 | -3 | 33 |
| 11 | Crystal Palace | 26 | -1 | 29 |
| 12 | Leicester | 23 | -6 | 27 |
| 13 | Aston Villa | 24 | -6 | 27 |
| 14 | Brentford | 26 | -15 | 24 |
| 15 | Leeds | 26 | -31 | 23 |
| 16 | Everton | 23 | -12 | 22 |
| 17 | Newcastle | 24 | -19 | 22 |
| 18 | Burnley | 23 | -8 | 20 |
| 19 | Watford | 25 | -22 | 18 |
| 20 | Norwich | 26 | -40 | 17 |
... and yet the thing was, on another day, Leeds could have had a few goals themselves. Koch and Raphina both hit the woodwork. Struijk, Ayling and Dallas - especially Dallas - missed extremely good chances. The hosts had a couple of half-decent shouts for a penalty. All of this is not nothing. But - and this is not breaking news - they are recklessly open at the back, and you’re not going to get away with that sort of decadent carry-on with Harry Kane running the show. Kane and Son now have 37 goal-assist combinations, the most in Premier League history, eclipsing the previous record of 36 set by Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard at Chelsea.
FULL TIME: Leeds United 0-4 Tottenham Hotspur
A few boos at the final whistle. Both managers had a difficult week. Antonio Conte got the response he wanted. Marcelo Bielsa, disappearing sadly down the tunnel, most certainly did not.
90 min +3: On BT Sport, co-commentator Glenn Hoddle names Harry Kane as man of the match. No arguments there, huh? Kane’s been sensational again, pretty much reprising his super-show at Manchester City, albeit against slightly more open opponents.
90 min +2: A kerfuffle in the Spurs box. Rodrigo spins on the penalty spot and shoots. Dier takes the sting off the ball and Lloris claims easily enough.
90 min +1: The first of three added minutes goes by without incident. The home fans belt out a defiant rendition of Marching On Together.
90 min: Raphinha whips the free kick towards the top right. Lloris is rooted to the spot. The ball caroms off the right-hand post, and Leeds’ misery is pretty much complete.
89 min: Davies misses his kick while attempting a simple clearance, allowing Raphinha to steal away with the ball. Davies cynically barges Raphinha over, on the edge of the box, and he’s booked as a result. Consolation coming up for Leeds?
87 min: Rodrigo juggles in the Spurs box and tees up Raphinha, who sends a volley sailing harmlessly over the bar.
86 min: That’s Son’s work complete. He makes way for Scarlett. It’s now 20 goals conceded by Leeds in five matches, give or take four minutes plus added time.
GOAL! Leeds United 0-4 Tottenham Hotspur (Son 85)
... but poor, exposed Meslier was powerless to stop this one. Kane, who has been causing havoc from a deep position, rakes a long diagonal pass from the right to release Son. He takes a touch to enter the box and lashes into the bottom right. Another peach for Spurs, and the Kane-Son partnership is now the most potent in Premier League history.
Updated
84 min: Kane plays an absurdly cute nutmeg down the inside-right channel to release Bergwijn into the Leeds box. Bergwijn aims a chip over Meslier, who makes another exceptional one-on-one save. He’s ensured Leeds haven’t been totally embarrassed this afternoon.
82 min: Bergwijn wedges down the inside-left channel in the hope of teeing up either Son or Kane, six yards out. Son stretches for a header when he should have left it for Kane. The chance is gone. Leeds break through Raphinha, who sizzles down the right before rolling infield for James. Another big chance for Leeds, who drags a weak shot wide left. Leeds have had their chances all right.
80 min: Raphinha and Shackleton combine well down the right, but while both take turns, neither can get a cross away.
78 min: Leeds swap Firpo for Shackleton, while Spurs switch out Sessegnon and Kulusevski for Emerson and Bergwijn.
77 min: Rodrigo is booked for hanging out a cynical, frustrated leg across Kane. Just a booking. It could have been a red, but though VAR checks, no further action is taken.
Updated
75 min: Take two: Son dribbles sensationally along the byline but can’t find a purple shirt with his pullback. Firpo hacks out. Take three: Rodrigo heads clear, and suddenly Dallas is romping after a loose ball in the Spurs half. Lloris, miles out of his box, attempts to clear, but smacks into Dallas, who runs off with the ball and faces an open goal. But he doesn’t back himself to slot from 30 yards, and runs towards the box before shooting. Eventually he takes a pop, but he’s taken so much time, Davies is able to come across and block. What defending, but what a dreadful miss!
Updated
74 min: Sessegnon threatens to break down the left, forcing Klich to concede a corner, 3o yards out. Son takes. Llorente heads behind. Take two coming up.
72 min: Kane sends another of his peak-Patriots passes down the right. This time Son and Doherty combine to tee up Kulusevski, whose low drive is blocked. Spurs haven’t give up, either, as they search for goal number four.
71 min: Dallas makes good down the right and cuts back from the byline. Rodrigo is in a little bit of space just inside the box, but allows the ball to fly through his legs and away.
69 min: After some extended faff, Raphinha pulls back for Forshaw, who shoots. Kane blocks. The ball pings back to Forshaw, who this time shins one miles over the bar. Leeds haven’t given up, which is something, I guess.
67 min: Nothing comes of the set piece, and Leeds counter. Romero nudges Rodrigo out on the right, and this is a free kick in a dangerous position, just to the side of the Spurs box.
66 min: Kulusevski is involved at both ends, first by nudging Rodrigo from behind on the edge of his own box - you’ve seen penalties given for less - then rasping a shot towards the bottom-right corner of the Leeds goal. Meslier tips around for a corner.
64 min: Kane is quarterbacking at Tom Brady levels right now. He drops deep yet again, this time raking a delicious pass towards Sessegnon on the left. Sessegnon chests down and lashes a shot into the side netting. The Spurs fans momentarily celebrate, then the Leeds fans rip them when it’s clear Sessegnon hasn’t scored. During tough times, you take what you can.
63 min: Rodrigo rakes the back of Romero’s leg. Just a foul, no booking. Not for Rodrigo, anyway. Conte cops one instead, for delivering his critique from the touchline.
61 min: See 58 min, Kane to Doherty, exactly the same move. What a pass! Doherty is clear this time, and tries to lift a shot over Meslier. The Leeds keeper sticks out a strong arm to block. The rebound falls to Son, who tries to slam home. Meslier springs up and blocks again. What fine goalkeeping!
59 min: Play stops as Sessegnon, who turned his ankle while running into the post as well, gets the treatment he requires.
58 min: Kane, dropping deep to make some plays, fires an absurdly good reverse diagonal pass towards Doherty on the right. Doherty fires across for Sessegnon, looking to repay the favour of the opening goal. Sessegnon can’t quite meet at the far stick, and he clatters into the post instead. Ouch.
56 min: It’s possible ... it’s not clear ... that James also got booked during that little flurry. His challenge, a bold clank from behind, was worthy of one, that’s for sure. In which case four yellows in three minutes is not bad going for Leeds. Don’t quote us, though.
54 min: ... and completing a three-minute triptych, Firpo is booked for belting the ball away in frustration as James is penalised for barging unceremoniously into Romero.
53 min: ... then Dallas goes into the book for a late clatter on Sessegnon ...
52 min: Klich is booked for a clumsy tackle on Hojbjerg, standing on his opponent’s ankle ...
50 min: The home crowd are belting out Marching on Together, in the hope of sparking a comeback. To this end, Dallas cuts in from the right and looks for the top left. Nope.
49 min: Raphinha gets up and takes the free kick himself. Lloris claims with ease, always winning an aerial battle with James.
48 min: Raphinha bursts down the right and is clipped from behind by Sessegnon, who becomes the first name in the referee’s notebook.
Updated
46 min: Kulusevski nearly bursts through a gap down the Leeds right. Not quite. A fourth goal quickly scored and the reaction will be ... interesting.
Leeds get the second half underway. Bielsa has unsurprisingly made a double change: Struijk and Harrison off, Klich and Rodrigo on.
Half-time entertainment. There’s already been one Premier League match this weekend. While you were getting stuck into the wine last night, Southampton were consolidating their top-half position while gently nudging Norwich City in the general direction of the Championship. Ben Fisher was at St Mary’s, and his report is here.
HALF TIME: Leeds United 0-3 Tottenham Hotspur
Nope. In fact, Spurs nearly counter and score a fourth, but Kane can’t find Kulusevski, free in the middle, with a cross from the left. Spurs have been excellent, Leeds woeful in defence, and Bielsa’s side are three down at the break for the second match in a row. But the margins are smaller than they first appear: Struijk and Ayling should both have scored with headers, while Koch hit the post. Anyway, spin it how you like, the hosts are booed off the pitch by their own fans.
45 min: One extra minute to come. Can Leeds locate the tip of a lifeline?
44 min: Harrison feeds Raphinha down the left. Raphinha reaches the byline and loops long for Ayling, who, 12 yards out and with Lloris drawn out of position, has nearly the whole of the goal to aim a header at. He sends it wide left.
43 min: ... so having said that, Raphinha clanks an awful ball over everyone’s head and out for a goal kick.
42 min: Raphinha is on a one-man mission to spark a comeback. He drives down the right and purchases a cheap free kick by running into an immobile Winks. Dangerous free kick here, just to the side of the Spurs box.
40 min: Leeds turn up the pressure for the first time this afternoon. Firpo fires a dangerous low cross in from the left, forcing Romero to hack clear with James lurking. Then Raphinha wins a couple of corners down the right, causing a little concern in the Spurs box before the hosts eventually tidy up. A goal before half-time could change everything, despite it all.
38 min: Raphinha takes a strike from the edge of the box. Davies blocks. The ball bounces up off the defender’s hip and onto his hand. Just about everyone in Elland Road screams for a penalty. They’re not getting one. You’ve seen them given, with Davies’ arm not completely tucked in, but it’s not the most controversial denial either.
37 min: Harrison flashes a cross through the six-yard box from the left. What Leeds could do with a fit Patrick Bamford.
Updated
35 min: Some Leeds possession. In an ironic echo of the famous teasing of Southampton in 1972, the Spurs fans cheer every time Leeds complete a pass. That’s got to sting.
33 min: A free kick out left for Leeds leads to some pinball in the Spurs box. Koch misses a header, six yards out. Harrison tries to steer a shot into the top left, but Romero blocks. James lines up a volley but fresh-airs it. Spurs eventually clear.
31 min: What’s particularly worrying for Leeds is that Spurs look in the mood to fill their boots, like Manchester United and Liverpool before them. And it could have been four, had Meslier not just smothered Sessegnon’s poke towards the bottom-left corner. Sessegnon found it far too easy to get into the Spurs box there.
29 min: There’s no defending a pass, never mind the finish, like that. But whichever way you spin it, this is now 19 goals conceded by Leeds in their last four-and-one-third matches.
GOAL! Leeds United 0-3 Tottenham Hotspur (Kane 27)
Kane gets in on the act, but this is all about Hojbjerg, quarterbacking from deep. From a central position, he wedges a lovely diagonal ball towards Kane on the left-hand corner of the six-yard box. Kane passes a cute volley across Meslier and into the bottom right. What a goal!
Updated
26 min: Firpo attempts to release Harrison, who has made a clever run down the left. But he telegraphs his intention and Doherty is able to intercept with ease. More groans pour down from the stands.
25 min: A free kick for Leeds out on the right. Dallas swings it in. Harrison and Firpo try to combine out on the left flank, but nothing’s coming off for Leeds at the moment.
23 min: Spurs have Leeds exactly where they want them now. Conte teams very much enjoy soaking up pressure and hitting teams on the counter. Manchester City can attest. “Is there an official name for the colour of Tottenham’s kit?” wonders Rai Skrupskis. “Violet? Lilac? Conte’s Emotions?”
21 min: Leeds have responded well to, eh, going two goals down in short order. They’re enjoying plenty of possession right now. What they could do with something tangible, though.
19 min: ... and now Firpo’s press forces Romero into a dangerous pass to Lloris across the face of his own goal. There’s nobody nearby in white to take advantage, but at least Leeds are showing willingness to keep on keeping on.
Updated
17 min: An awful start for Leeds. On the touchline, Marcelo Bielsa stares sadly at the turf, a look of resignation writ large on his sad face. But hope is not lost yet. Koch bustles hard down the inside-right channel. He pings forward for Raphinha, who returns the ball into Koch’s path. Koch sidefoots past Lloris, but off the base of the right-hand post and away. A little succour amid a storm.
GOAL! Leeds United 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur (Kulusevski 15)
Those howls turn to boos as Kulusevski picks up possession on the right touchline, strolls infield, gives Meslier the eyes as though he’s aiming for the bottom left, then whips into the bottom right instead. What a start to his Spurs career from the on-loan Juve winger!
Updated
14 min: Meslier plucks Son’s delivery from the sky, and tries to send his team off on the counter. But the move quickly breaks down, and a couple of howls of frustration ring around Elland Road.
13 min: Sessegnon is on fire right now. He turns Dallas inside out down the left, and cuts back from the byline for Kulusevski, who can’t force a shot goalwards from six yards, but wins a corner.
12 min: Hats off to Antonio Conte, by the way. His two changes to the XI were both involved in that goal, which also illustrates the benefit of refreshed full-backs. Almost as though the serial winner knows exactly what he’s doing.
GOAL! Leeds United 0-1 Tottenham Hotspur (Doherty 10)
Well this didn’t take long. Sessegnon is sent flying down the left by Winks’ sliderule pass. He’s in acres. He whips a low ball across for Doherty, who is racing in from the other flank. He opens his body and slams past Meslier. That’s now 17 goals conceded by Leeds in their last four matches and ten minutes.
Updated
9 min: Harrison dribbles purposefully down the inside-left channel, and is crudely checked on the edge of the box by Romero. It’s a clear foul, but the referee decides otherwise, and Elland Road erupts as play goes on.
8 min: Llorente’s loose pass in the midfield allows Doherty to race off down the right. He shuttles upfield for Kulusevski, who rolls infield for Kane. He spots Meslier off his line, and attempts to float a chip over the keeper from the right-hand edge of the D. It sails harmlessly wide left.
6 min: More work for Meslier to do, as he swallows a long-range Son effort. Spurs have come to play as well.
5 min: Sessegnon gets the better of Dallas down the left and whips in low. Kane’s eyes light up, but Meslier smothers bravely at his feet, six yards out.
Updated
4 min: Sessegnon works his way down the left and wins the first corner of the game. Son takes. Meslier punches clear confidently. A nice open start to this match.
3 min: Leeds should be ahead. Harrison curls the free kick in viciously. Struijk wins a header, six yards out, and sends it flying inches wide of the right-hand post. He had to score. Fast start by the hosts, though, betraying their intent. Like you ever need to know the intent of a Bielsa team.
Updated
2 min: Firpo races down the inside-left channel with great purpose. His link-up with Harrison doesn’t quite come off, but James comes at Spurs again and Kulusevski barges him over in a panic. A free kick just to the left of the Spurs box. Everyone in the mixer.
Spurs get the ball rolling ... but only after the knee is taken by both teams. Plenty of applause greets the gesture. There’s no room for racism.
The teams are out! Leeds are in their Revie-loves-Real white, forcing Tottenham into third-choice purple. Elland Road is jumping, as Elland Road always does. A rare old racket, everyone marching on together. We’ll be off in a couple of minutes. In the meantime, Yash Gupta calls Conte’s future, and it’s good news for Tottenham supporters: “So Antonio gets emotional after the match, more so after a defeat, and is very grumpy for a day after which he cools off. He is a Spurs fan.”
Updated
Marcelo Bielsa does too. “From the last game, there are a lot of corrections to be made. The expectations for this game are the maximum, because the final third of the season obliges us to get as many points as possible.”
Conte speaks to BT. “I want to see a good reaction. A good performance to show character. These are the most important things. And then to have a good result. We have to play every game angry, with focus, with determination. We are playing a lot of games in a few days, and the time to recover is short. The wing backs run a lot during the game, and I think they needed to recover after two games in a row. Leeds is a good team and they have a good idea of football. I have great respect for Marcelo Bielsa, he is a really good coach. It will be a tough game for sure. But it is also important for us to react to the last defeat.”
“In this moment, I am totally committed to Tottenham and I have a good relationship with the club.” Fair to say Antonio Conte has been riding the old rollercoaster of emotions this week. Things appear to have levelled out after the Burnley outpouring, though, and he publicly made his peace with the club yesterday. Now he’s wandering around the pitch at Elland Road in a very carefree, casual, insouciant style, sending out a clear message to one and all: he’s totally committed to Tottenham*.
* In this moment.
Mateusz Klich may be sitting on the Leeds bench, but he’s already taken a stand today. He’s one of the Poland players who have refused to play Russia in the upcoming World Cup 2022 play-offs, in opposition to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. More details on a collective decision by all at the Polish FA here.
— Mateusz Klich (@Cli5hy) February 26, 2022
Leeds make two changes to the XI named for the 6-0 capitulation at Anfield. Robin Koch and Diego Llorente come in for Mateusz Klich and Rodrigo.
Spurs make two changes after the miserable, Antoino Conte rant-inducing 1-0 defeat at Burnley. Harry Winks and Matt Doherty take the places of the injured Rodrigo Bentancur and the benched Emerson Royal.
The teams
Leeds United: Meslier, Ayling, Llorente, Struijk, Firpo, Koch, Raphinha, Dallas, Forshaw, Harrison, James.
Subs: Roberts, Klaesson, Rodrigo, Gelhardt, Cresswell, Summerville, Klich, Shackleton, Kenneh.
Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Romero, Dier, Davies, Doherty, Winks, Hojbjerg, Sessegnon, Kulusevski, Son, Kane.
Subs: Reguilon, Sanchez, Emerson, Rodon, Bergwijn, Austin, White, Scarlett, Devine.
Referee: Craig Pawson (South Yorkshire).
Preamble
It’s fair to say neither of these teams are in a good place. But then there’s not being in a good place, and really not being in a good place. Spurs have lost four of their last five games, their chances of a top-four finish almost in ashes, despite putting in one of the performances of the season to stun leaders Manchester City last weekend. Not ideal. But that contrasts favourably to Leeds, who have lost four of their last five as well, but their only other result was a draw against a faltering Aston Villa, and they’ve shipped 16 goals in their last four matches (!) as part of a run that’s seen them sucked into the relegation battle. Three points would go a long way to improving the mood in both camps. Anything less, and it’s a descent into the slough of despond. All set up for a high-tension affair this lunchtime, then. Kick-off at Elland Road is at 12.30pm GMT. It’s on!
