QPR 4 Leeds United 0: Hammer blow ends part of autos race and leaves Whites hanging by a thread — YEP 26/4/24
Leeds United’s heaviest defeat of the season arrived at the worst possible time.
By Lee Sobot
Leeds United’s quest for automatic promotion has been dealt
a hammer blow, an awful 4-0 defeat at Queens Park Rangers handing a place in
the Premier League to Leicester City and a golden opportunity for Ipswich Town
to join them.
Daniel Farke's Whites could have moved four points clear of
Ipswich in the Championship's second automatic promotion place with a victory
at Friday night’s hosts yet have now given Ipswich the chance to seal promotion
before Leeds even play again.
Friday night's reverse has left Leeds just one point ahead
of Ipswich but having played two games more, Ipswich now able to pull an
unassailable five points clear of United if winning Saturday night's clash at
Hill City and Tuesday evening's visit to Coventry City.
Leaders Leicester, meanwhile, have now sealed promotion
whilst victory for QPR also ensured they are safe from the drop.
QPR began brightly and went ahead with just eight minutes on
the clock through Ilias Chair who was not closed down as he ran towards the
Whites back line from deep.
Chair then cut inside past Ilia Gruev before unleashing a
low drive which took a slight deflection off Joe Rodon en route to sailing past
Illan Meslier into the bottom right corner.
Just as they did at Middlesbrough, Leeds looked to hit
straight back and Joel Piroe's shot across goal was tipped away by keeper Amir
Begovic, the ball then scrambled behind for a corner which QPR survived.
At the other end, Sam Byram entered the book for clattering
into Chair at force and sending him sprawling to the deck.
From the free-kick, Chair squandered a good chance to double
the Rs advantage as he hammered a shot over the bar from inside the box after
United's initial clearance.
A glancing header from Lyndon Dykes from a Kenneth Paal
cross then flew well wide as the hosts continued to threaten but a second goal
looked likely and it quickly arrived through Lucas Andersen in the 22nd minute.
Moor poor Leeds defending allowed QPR's Danish winger to
ease into the box from the right flank and Andersen worked space in front of
Gruev before rifling a low finish into the bottom left corner.
Piroe then again looked to provide an immediate response but
his drive from range flew wide of the right hand post.
A terrific save from Begovic then denied Leeds just after
the half hour mark as Crysencio Summerville's powerful volley from a Willy
Gnonto cross was beaten away, Piroe's attempt on the follow up deflected over
the bar.
A few minutes later, Piroe's hooked through ball played in
Gnonto who eventually opted to shoot and saw his effort blocked and sent behind
for another corner which again came to nothing.
A late lunge from Gnonto on Dykes then earned the Italian a
booking and another potential good Whites opening was wasted just before the
break when a brilliant cross from Junior Firpo flew through the box with no
takers and out for a throw.
Leeds boss Daniel Farke made no changes during the break,
after which Georginio Rutter squandered the first chance by flicking a header
well wide from a Byram cross.
Rutter was then picked out by an Archie Gray cross but QPR
defender Steve Cook blocked Rutter off and forced the ball behind for a corner.
From that corner, the ball was eventually worked to Rutter who dragged a good
chance wide from close range.
QPR then went close to bagging a third goal as a fierce
strike from the excellent Chair was deflected just wide for a corner which was
cleared to Jack Colback whose attempt was deflected just wide.
With Leeds struggling to make any inroads, Mateo Joseph was
brought on to replace Byram just after the hour mark.
From a Firpo cross, Joseph immediately went close, his
attempt to stab the ball home from close range saved by Begovic but Leeds
denied a corner.
At the other end, yet another effort from Chair was
deflected over the bar before Meslier was forced to fly out at the feet of Paul
Smyth to thwart another dangerous QPR attack.
But Leeds were just not at the races despite the magnitude
of the tie and the hosts bagged a third goal in the 73rd minute in easy fashion
as Dykes headed home from a corner.
Whites star Summerville and Rutter were then hooked off in
he 79th minute as Jaidon Anthony and Joe Gelhardt were thrown on, after which
an awful free-kick from Piroe was blasted into the stands.