The festive period is here and over the next few days Leeds United will be playing three Premier League games. Manchester City travel to Elland Road on December 28 as Jesse Marsch’s side face the champions in their first game back from the World Cup break.
Clashes against Newcastle United and West Ham United follow for the Whites before eyes turn to an FA Cup clash with Cardiff City on January 8. Here’s a look at Leeds’ last five festive runs and the impact they had on the remainder of the season.
2017-18
Games played: Hull City (h), Burton Albion (a), Birmingham City (a), Nottingham Forest (h)
Record: W: 2 D: 1 L: 1
Leeds had started the season well under Thomas Christiansen and despite falling out of the top six, they were starting to show signs of form once more as the festive season approached. The Whites moved back into the play-offs with a 1-0 win over recently relegated Hull City on December 23 to begin a hectic run of games in the best way possible.
Read more: Matheus Cunha on 'big mentality' role of Julen Lopetegui in Wolves move amid Leeds United links
They then picked up a 2-1 win over Burton at the Pirelli Stadium on Boxing Day thanks to efforts from Pablo Hernandez and Kemar Roofe. However, a 1-0 defeat to Birmingham came on the 30th, before Leeds and Forest played out a 0-0 draw on New Year’s Day.
Overall, seven points from four Christmas games was seen as a decent haul, but it didn’t help them kick on and after six games without a win, Christiansen was sacked in February. Leeds would win just four more league games that season to finish a disappointing 13th in the Championship table.
2018-19
Games played: Aston Villa (a), Blackburn Rovers (h), Hull City (h), Nottingham Forest (a)
Record: W: 2 D: 0 L: 2
The Whites were flying as they entered their first Christmas period under Marcelo Bielsa. They had picked up five straight wins through November and December and they travelled to Villa Park on December 23 as league leaders.
Bielsa’s side were 2-0 down after just 17 minutes, but they battled back through goals from Jack Clarke and Pontus Jansson and Roofe popped up in the fifth minute of added time to steal the spoils. Roofe stole the show once more with two more injury-time goals at Elland Road on Boxing Day to secure another 3-2 win, this time against Blackburn Rovers, to stretch their winning run to seven games.
That run came to a halt on December 29, though, as a Jarrod Bowen brace gave Hull a 2-0 win in West Yorkshire, before Forest won 4-2 at the City Ground on New Year’s Day. The Whites were six points clear of third place when they beat Blackburn, but they went on to finish third after a difficult run of results at the end of the campaign, before missing out on promotion in the play-offs.
2019-20
Games played: Fulham (a), Preston North End (h), Birmingham City (a), West Brom (a)
Record: W: 1 D: 2 L: 1
Bielsa’s side were leading the way in the Championship once again when Christmas rolled around, but it’s fair to say Leeds didn’t make the most of the busiest point of the year. A 2-1 defeat came at Craven Cottage on December 21, before the Whites could only muster a 1-1 draw against Preston North End on Boxing Day.
The Whites only win of the period came in the most dramatic circumstances as a Wes Harding own goal in stoppage time gave United a 5-4 win over Birmingham City at St Andrew’s, but they couldn’t make it a West Midlands double at The Hawthorns three days later, drawing 1-1 with the Baggies. That Christmas period kick-started Leeds’ only real wobble in form that season, but it wasn’t enough to throw them off course as a run of 12 wins over the club’s final 14 games finally sealed promotion back to the top flight.
2020-21
Games played: Manchester United (a), Burnley (h), West Brom (a), Tottenham Hotspur (a)
Record: W: 2 D: 0 L: 2
Leeds were fresh from battering Newcastle United 5-2 at Elland Road when they travelled to Old Trafford to kick off the festive period. Unfortunately, they couldn’t build on it as they lost 6-2 on what was one of the most miserable days of Leeds’ first season back in the top flight.
Bielsa’s side bounced back well, though, with a win over Burnley on home soil before travelling to The Hawthorns once again and playing the Baggies off the park to pick up a 5-0 win. A 3-0 defeat to Tottenham followed on January 2, but it can’t be said that Leeds’ festive period wasn’t a successful one.
Leeds went on to finish ninth on their return to the Premier League and their form over December and January certainly saw them live up to their ‘entertainers’ tag.
2021-22
Games played: Arsenal (h), Burnley (h)
Record: W: 1 D: 0 L: 1
Last season’s Christmas period was a relatively difficult one for Leeds as a Covid outbreak at Thorp Arch saw games against Liverpool and Aston Villa postponed. That meant Leeds played just two games over the festive period and both were at Elland Road.
Arsenal left West Yorkshire with a 4-1 win on December 18, but the Whites rallied following their Covid struggles to see off Burnley 3-1 and it’s fair to say that result had a big impact down the line. The Clarets were eventually relegated to the Championship, finishing three points behind Leeds, who climbed out of the bottom three on the final day of the campaign.
Things might have been very different had Leeds not claimed that result.
READ NEXT:
Illan Meslier latest as Jesse Marsch gives fitness update and talks Leeds United back-up plan
Andrea Radrizzani opens up on his 49ers relationship and necessary Leeds United improvements
Rene Maric drops Leeds United midfield hint with Adam Forshaw role explained
Gnonto and Koch among Leeds United World Cup break winners but luck deserts star men
Every word Jesse Marsch said on Leeds United injuries, Mark Jackson and January transfer window
