Mighty Leeds Weblog

Leeds 3-0 Wolves: James Justin, Noah Okafor, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin were the goalscorers for the hosts Mark Walker Leeds took another big step towards Premier League safety with a 3-0 win against all-but-relegated Wolves at Elland Road. Quickfire first-half goals from James Justin and Noah Okafor put Leeds in control, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s stoppage-time penalty sealed back-to-back league wins for the first time this season. Daniel Farke’s side moved six points clear of the bottom three after Monday night’s 2-1 win at Manchester United, and their ninth league win of the season lifted them further clear of the bottom three. Rock-bottom Wolves began the day 15 points adrift of safety, and their relegation could be confirmed this weekend if other results go against them. Leeds burst out of the blocks as Dominic Calvert-Lewin forced Wolves goalkeeper Dan Bentley into a smothering save in the first minute and James Justin headed over soon after. Calvert-Lewin’s cutback...

By Stuart Rayner For 20 minutes Leeds United put on a show force before sleepwalking through more than 70 minutes of football. After such a promising start, their 3-0 win was not a classic and the Whites' mission this season is not quite accomplished, but it is pretty close to. Victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers opened up a nine-point gap to Tottenham Hotspur and six to Nottingham Forest before the rest of the relegation-threatened teams took to the field. But what is about the Whites and 2-0 leads? For three games running they have made work of getting over the line from there, but for three games running they have and that is all that really matters. And this time they did actually score that decisive third, just not until stoppage time. Early on it looked like they might run up a cricket score in something approaching cricket weather – well, the sun was out, anyway – but lovely goals for James Justin and Noah Okafor looked like being all the punishment Wolves would...

By Lee Sobot Leeds United knew victory against Wolves at Elland Road would take them nine points clear of the Premier League relegation zone. Leeds United gave their quest for Premier League survival another massive boost with a 3-0 win at home to Saturday’s visitors Wolves which booted the Whites further clear of the drop zone and brought new rivals into view. Five days on from Monday night’s brilliant 2-1 win at Manchester United, Noah Okafor continued his stellar recent run with another goal and assist - the winger setting up James Justin to score the game’s opening goal with an amazing finish overhead kick. Daniel Farke’s Whites took a 2-0 lead into the break and the second half became a bit of a non-event until finally livening up towards the closing stages, Leeds making absolutely sure of victory as Dominic Calvert-Lewin thumped home a 95th-minute penalty awarded for a foul on the Whites no 9. The victory took Leeds up to 39 points with five games remaining, nine points...

By IAN HERBERT, DEPUTY CHIEF SPORTS WRITER The number of former footballers who have been collectively defrauded of millions of pounds could be far greater than originally thought. Former Premier League stars including Danny Murphy, Brian Deane and Rod Wallace are among the victims of a scandal that campaigners hope to force the Government to act upon. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer confirmed this week that talks will take place with the Treasury to seek a resolution to the long-running case involving the ex-footballers, who are part of the V11 campaign group. The group is made up of 11 former players who invested with Kingsbridge Asset Management in the 1990s and 2000s. All have been pursuing a resolution to their case after being formally recognised by police as victims of financial crime, while continuing to face substantial tax liabilities. At Prime Minister's Questions this week, Labour MP Jo White compared the issue to the Post Office scandal. She said: 'Workin...

By Tom Coates Football finance expert lays out how Leeds United can get themselves established in the Premier League Leeds United have been told what they need to in order to become established in the Premier League by a football finance expert. When clubs secure promotion to the promised land, matching the quality of clubs who are established there often proves tricky. In recent years, the worrying trend of promoted clubs going straight back down has shone a light on the significant financial disparity between England’s top two tiers. Daniel Farke was given funds to bolster his ranks last summer, yet the money he was afforded pales in comparison to what was spent by many of the club’s rivals. Football finance expert on Leeds United Speaking to Football Insider, former Manchester City adviser Stefan Borson has claimed a gradual increase of the wage bill following each season of survival is the way to go. He said: “The challenge really is, can they stay in the Premier Le...

By Stuart Rayner "People are always telling me Leeds don't do things the easy way." If James Justin did not believe them then, he certainly will after the last two games. But here's the thing: Leeds reached a first FA Cup semi-final in 39 years, then won a league match at Old Trafford for the first time in 45. Neither were as comfortable as they ought to have been. Leeds were 2-0 up at West Ham United after 90 minutes yet had to ride their luck just to make it to a victorious penalty shoot-out. At Old Trafford on Monday they were 2-0 up again, playing ole football against 10 men. A 21-pass move shortly after Lisandro Martinez’s red card was not quite Southampton 1972 (YouTube it) but the identity of the opponent made it sweeter. Having to endure a ferocious fightback in a final half-hour that was more like basketball but where only Casemiro got on the scoreboard perhaps made the win more valuable than the history or even the league table would suggest. ...