Hull City 3 Leeds United 3: Rollercoaster sickener as howlers cost Whites with additional double blow — YEP 4/1/25

By Lee Sobot

Leeds were tasked with answering a Burnley call in Saturday’s clash at Hull City.

Leeds United’s lead at the top of the Championship is down to just a point after a rollercoaster ride sickener at Hull City somehow ended in a 3-3 draw.

Daniel Farke’s Whites entered the weekend three points clear at the top of the division but second-placed Burnley put themselves level with Leeds through a 1-0 victory at Blackburn Rovers in a Saturday lunchtime kick-off.

Despite falling behind in just the fifth minute, a brilliant second-half comeback had Leeds on course to answer Burnley’s call as they led 3-1 at Hull heading into the final nine minutes.

Yet two goalkeeping blunders from Whites stopper Illan Meslier led to Hull securing a 3-3 draw which has left Leeds just one point clear in top spot due to the additional double blow of both Burnley and Sheffield United both winning.

Chris Wilder’s Blades also began the weekend three points behind Leeds in third place but recorded a 2-1 win at Watford to join Burnley in being just a point behind the Whites.

Leeds were very slow to get going at the MKM Stadium and Farke's Whites fell behind in just the fifth minute after awful defending.

A Mason Burstow ball over the top took out the Whites back line and Abu Kamara raced in goal where he was faced by the onrushing Meslier who had come haring out of his box in an attempt to clear.

Kamara, though, easily got to the ball first and applied a neat lobbed finish that looped into the net to send the home faithful into raptures.

Leeds looked to immediately respond and looked like doing so as Ethan Ampadu stormed into the box and teed up Manor Solomon down the left channel.

But Solomon's strike was blocked at very close range, as was the follow-up attempt from Joel Piroe which was deflected into the side netting for a corner which Hull survived.

Leeds then had plenty of possession but the final pass in the final third continually let them down and the frame of the goal saved the Whites from conceding a second.

Farke's side failed to deal with a cross from the left which landed at the feet of Matthew Jacob who could only smash a firm attempt at the post from very close range.

Several Leeds forays into the Hull box then came to nothing and the Tigers again went close to adding a second through Jacob again who smashed another fierce shot wide and Steven Alzate who also missed the target from the edge of the box.

Leeds needed a response in a big way but the Whites got one just one minute after the restart via an Ao Tanaka stunner.

In their first attack of the half, Tanaka received the ball on the edge of the box from a Manor Solomon pass and created space to shoot before firing in a beautiful strike into the top right corner.

Moments later, Leeds came within a whisker of going ahead as a Brenden Aaronson cross flew through the box and narrowly missed James at the far post.

Hull, though, remained a threat themselves, the lively Jacob firing another effort wide before the Tigers later worked the ball into the box to Gustavo Puerta whose effort was also deflected behind.

Another Whites scare was survived as a curler from Kamara took a deflection before flying wide as part of an end to end start to the second half.

But Leeds were now creating the better chances and Farke's side completed the comeback when going ahead for the first time when James converted at the far post in the 62nd minute.

The Whites were now playing at a frantic pace and a Solomon cross was deflected to Bogle who cut the ball back across goal where James arrived to finish to put Leeds ahead. United quickly looked for a third and Bogle stormed into the area only to see his shot blocked.

Hull were still an occasional threat at the other end and Leeds survived a dangerous Tigers attack from which a fierce drive from Kamara was blocked as the hosts looked to draw level.

But instead Hull fell two goals behind moments later, messy defending providing an opening for Piroe who worked space on the edge of the box before firing home a clinical finish into the bottom right corner.

Leeds were suddenly cruising to victory or that's the way it seemed until Hull pulled a goal back from nothing with nine minutes left.

A free-kick into the box looked to have been dealt with but Meslier was sent scrambling back to his line by a looping header and flapped the ball away but only into the path of Joao Pedro who could not miss from close range.

Hull suddenly had their tails up and the Tigers drew level in the 89th minute after more poor defending and another Meslier error, the keeper flapping at a corner which Hull then finished through Kamara who rifled home a fierce drive into the bottom left corner.