Jack Harrison hails Leeds United team mate and key to Premier League survival for Whites - YEP 23/5/22

Jack Harrison has hailed the work of a Whites team mate for his role in sealing final day Premier League survival and the key to Leeds United avoiding the drop in their second season back.

By Lee Sobot

Leeds approached Sunday's final day of the season in the division's drop zone and needing a better result than Burnley to avoid relegation back to the Championship just two years after coming up.

With the Whites tied 1-1 at Brentford and Newcastle United only 2-1 up at Burnley, Harrison made absolutely sure of his team's survival when rifling home a 94th-minute winner to spark wild Leeds celebrations in the capital.

Harrison, though, was quick to hail the efforts of winger team mate Raphinha for both winning and converting the second-half penalty that finally put Leeds in front after Joe Gelhardt's first-half strike had been ruled offside.

Raphinha's spot kick put Jesse Marsch's side ahead 11 minutes after the break and Leeds looked to be cruising to safety with Newcastle also 2-0 up at Burnley.

But the Whites had to survive a late scare as a Burnley reply at Turf Moor was followed by a Sergi Canos equaliser for Brentford despite the Bees being down to ten men following an injury to Kristoffer Ajer having used all three substitutes.

Brentford were then reduced to nine men as Canos was sent off for a second booking but even then the hosts continued to dig and survival was in the balance until Harrison's winner prevented frantic score checks at Turf Moor.

After a season featuring widescale injuries and the sacking of Marcelo Bielsa, Leeds were safe and Harrison said the seesaw nature of Sunday's game mirrored United's season and that digging in had kept the Whites up.

Harrison told LUTV: "Throughout the whole game, from possibly getting the first goal in the first half and then that being ruled out again so trying to get that next one, it was tough to try and get that first and then second goal.

"Obviously Rapha did a great job for the first goal and fortunately enough my shot went in at the end.

"It was an exhilarating game, up and down but we've been like that all season, just fighting through the tough times and thankfully we came out on top."