Leeds United 1 Tottenham 4: Fans take aim as abysmal season ends with ultimate blow - YEP 28/5/23

Leeds United's abysmal third season back in the Premier League ended with a 4-1 defeat at home to Sunday's visitors Tottenham Hotspur and confirmed relegation to next season's Championship.

By Lee Sobot

Tottenham went ahead in just the second minute with their first real attack which ended with who else but Harry Kane applying a clinical finish from the middle of the box. Pedro Porro latched on to a looping pass from Emmerson Royal and cut in behind Pascal Struijk at left back and worked the ball to Son Heung-Min who then squared for Kane and the England captain applied a typically clean finish.

Leeds, though, squandered a glorious chance to equalise just five minutes later as a peach of a cross from Rodrigo picked out Robin Koch who could only head wide despite being unmarked in the middle of the area.

Another chance then went begging two minutes later as a Weston McKennie throw was only cleared to Pascal Struijk whose shot was deflected over the bar. Spurs then threatened to counter from the corner and Struijk was booked for hauling down Clement Lenglet who otherwise would have been away.

Leeds continued to push Spurs back but Max Wober entered the book for tripping Dejan Kulusevski on the turn and Spurs messed up a fine opportunity to double their lead from a rapid counter which ended with Rasmus Kristensen saving the day to tackle Son who was sold short by Kulusevski's pass.

At the other end, a thunderous strike from Adam Forshaw was deflected over the bar but Spurs began to look more threatening again and Liam Cooper got an important touch to an attempt from Kane which deflected the ball back to Joel Robles.

Yves Bissouma then narrowly failed to connect to a Son free-kick before McKennie dragged a shot wide from the edge of the area as Leeds looked to respond. From a corner, a looping Max Wober was palmed over the bar but loose control then let Kane down when he was in behind Ayling from a Bissouma pass.

Forshaw was the only one pulling any strings for Leeds and his cross found Koch who headed wide. Struijk and Rodrigo then got in each other's way as the ball bobbled around the Spurs box.

In the first of two added minutes, another Leeds chance was then wasted as Rodrigo headed well wide from another McKennie long throw and the half ended with another opportunity being spurned as Kristensen hooked a shot over the bar from a corner.

Leeds were roundly booed off at the break but things got worse just two minutes into the second half as Spurs doubled their lead through Pedro Porro after atrocious Whites defending. Kane looped the ball over Cooper in the middle of the park and then advanced forward before sending a low pass towards Perro which Struijk made a hash of in attempting to clear.

That left Porro in down the right and the Spaniard then fired a smart finish across Robles into the opposite corner. Chants of "you're not fit to wear the shirt" rained down from the terraces as well as songs aimed at Andrea Radrizzani to sell the club.

Leeds had a chance to hit back in the 55th minute but solid Spurs defending twice kept out Ayling at close range. Cooper was then booked for pulling back Son on another Spurs counter, after which a block kept out Wober at the other end.

Boss Sam Allardyce finally made a triple change on the hour mark as Junior Firpo, Brenden Aaronson and Georginio Rutter were all introduced for Wober, Struijk and McKennie - the latter who was booed off.

Leeds attempted to get themselves back in contention but Rodrigo's shot from an acute angle was beaten away for a corner by keeper Fraser Forster. The Whites finally pulled a goal back in the 67th minute through Harrison who made the most of good hold up play and cut into the area before rifling a low drive across Forster into the bottom left corner.

But just two minutes later Tottenham had restored their two-goal lead through Kane who was played in by Porro following a poor headed clearance from Cooper.

Rutter attempted to make another impact and blazed over after good footwork in the box but Spurs threatened again through substitute Richarlison who was played in down the left and denied by a Robles save.

More chants of “sack the board” followed as Spurs pushed for a fourth, Richarlison kept out by another Robles save. Allardyce then made another change in the 88th minute as Willy Gnonto was brought on to replace Harrison, both players having their names chanted from the terraces.

Another Leeds chance presented itself in the second minute of added time but Aaronson was unable to finish at a tight angle and there was still time for Spurs to bag one more through substitute Lucas Moura who beat four men before rifling home.