Leeds 1 Watford 0 - BBC 2/10/21
Leeds picked up their first victory in the Premier League this season as defender Diego Llorente returned from injury to score the winner over Watford.
Llorente, who picked up a hamstring injury in the defeat by
Liverpool, instinctively poked it in from close range after a corner delivery
bounced off Watford's Juraj Kucka at the back post.
It capped off a dominant first-half display from Leeds but
failure to take their chances made for a nervy ending.
Watford, who were sloppy in possession and passive for large
parts of the game, had a goal ruled out in the second half for a foul in the
build-up after goalkeeper Illan Meslier's fumble almost proved costly.
But despite the narrow scoreline, Leeds were comfortably the
better side, leaving Elland Road with three points for the first time this
season.
Leeds could have had a handful of goals by half-time.
Stuart Dallas had several big chances to score - forcing a
save from Ben Foster early on, the Watford keeper reacting sharply to poke away
the rebound from the onrushing Daniel James.
He was teed up by Mateusz Klich moments later but fired over
the bar and in the second half blazed another shot into the stands from an
unmarked position on the edge of the box.
Dallas' chances were often created out of Watford's
sloppiness in possession - Kiko Femenia and Ismaila Sarr among those guilty for
giving the ball away inside their own half.
Ironically, Watford's best chance themselves fell for Ozan
Tufan when Leeds lost possession in the area but he flashed it over the bar.
While their lack of ruthlessness will be of some concern to
manager Marcelo Bielsa, Leeds were dominant throughout and Jamie Shackleton,
Raphinha and Dallas all impressed individually.
Substitute Tyler Roberts almost capped it off when he hit
the crossbar late on too and it was a disappointing afternoon for Watford,
whose day was worsened by an injury to striker Joshua King on the stroke of
half-time.
