Leeds United 2 West Ham United 1: Whites make heavy weather of doubly satisfying win — Yorkshire Post 24/10/25

By Stuart Rayner

Leeds United were the better team against West Ham United, but still Elland Road breathed a sigh of relief when Stuart Attwell blew the final whistle on a 2-1 win.

In pouring rain they made heavier weather than they might have done of seeing off poor opposition but no matter – they did.

With just a quarter of an hour gone, the home fans would have been looking forward to a stress-free Friday against sub-standard opponents. When Mateus Fernandes' header left them clinging to a one-goal lead in stoppage time, it was anything but.

But after a season where they have had their share of good performances go unrewarded, it was just about getting the job done.

This was not the undeserved win Leeds probably feel they are owed after previous results, it was just hard work. What else did you expect in the Premier League?

And it was doubly encouraging. Not only did it push the Whites above the point-per-game a match - 11 from 9 - but it also made the Hammers once more look like a team they can finish above. Nuno Espirito Santo's team are now seven points behind them.

For the opening 25 minutes a West Ham team on their second manager of the season looked absolutely shambolic, and Leeds took advantage.

They were ahead after just three minutes, Jayden Bogle putting the ball in and Alphonse Areola pushing Noah Okafor into the path of Brenden Aaronson, who scored his first goal since March as Aaron Wan-Bissaka stood and watched.

With Joe Rodon losing Lucas Paqueta to head in a Sean Longstaff corner after 15 minutes, it was already looking like a good day to bump up the goal difference.

In between time the recalled Lucas Perri made a bit of a mess of Jarrod Bowen's spectacular volley but the way he reacted to keep the rebound away from Paqueta will have done his confidence a lot of good.

Then West Ham got lucky: one of their players got injured.

Twenty-five minutes in, it allowed Nuno to rip things up, replacing wing-back Ollie Scarles with centre-forward Callum Wilson, shifting Wan-Bissaka from left-sided centre-back to right-back, Bowen from centre-forward to right wing, Crysencio Summerville from right to left wing and his team from a lopsided 3-4-3 to a 4-4-2.

Another injury went against Leeds, Gabriel Gudmundsson substituted after appearing to fall on Premier League debutant Jaka Bijol.

Even before that Paqueta had a goal chalked off by a tight but correct margin after the video assistant referee took even longer thinking about his decision than the linesman with the semi-automated technology not working.

Shortly afterwards former Hull City forward Bowen dragged a shot wide.

Tomas Soucek was present with a great chance in the 12th of 13 added first-half minutes, but put his header wide.

Leeds were still having the bulk of the chances, but their earlier accuracy had deserted them.

Ao Tanaka, recalled to the midfield in the place of Anton Stach, won the ball deep and got on the end of the break he set up, but was unable to keep his shot down when Dominic Calvert-Lewin rolled the ball to him.

Ethan Ampadu, given more licence to get forward by Tanaka's hustle and bustle followed the Japan midfielder's lead when he and Bogle ganged up on West Ham, but after chopping back onto his left foot when he got to the edge of the area, he put his shot harmlessly wide.

His pass when Andy Irving's slip gave him the opportunity to release Calvert-Lewin was poor too.

Aaronson had a shot blocked when Gudmundsson pulled the ball back to him, and Calvert-Lewin was unable to put the American's cross away.

And when the fit-again Noah Okafor shot narrowly wide and Bogle forced a save from a tight angle, Leeds had to settle for a two-goal half-time lead that did not feel as secure as it ought to have.

It was a shame Okafor did not reappear for the second half.

But Leeds stubbornly refused to kill the game off in the second half.

The excellent Aaronson came closest, picking his way through midfield in the 59th minute and ending with a shot whcih deflected onto the crossbar.

Minutes later Leeds teed up half-time substitute Jack Harrison only for him to hit his shot straight at the goalkeeper.

The Hammers were largely kept at arm's length, Bijol making a big tackle on Wilson, and Paqueta's effort from a Wan-Bissaka pull-back was saved.

So although Leeds spent a lot of time stuck in their own half, the clock was ticking things in their favour.

Fernandes' glancing header on a Bowen cross in the 90th minute cast that in doubt.

The Leeds fans who were aged by that second half will have been glad there were only four minutes added to it. It could have been better but a win is a win.