West Ham 3 Leeds United 0: Opportunities missed en route to final day defeat — YEP 24/5/26

By Lee Sobot

Leeds United travelled to relegation-battling West Ham on Sunday’s final day of the Premier League season.

Leeds United's eight game unbeaten league run was ended in abrupt fashion by a final day 3-0 defeat at a West Ham United side heading for next season's Championship.

Leeds went into Sunday's final day clash with their top flight status already secured but with West Ham needing a victory and also a win for Everton at Tottenham in order to avoid the drop.

After Leeds squandered several good chances to go in front, West Ham completed their end of the bargain as goals from Taty Castellanos, Jarrod Bowen and Callum Wilson sealed a comfortable win against a disappointing Whites.

Tottenham, though, who only needed a draw, recorded a final day 1-0 win at home to Everton to send West Ham down along with already relegated pair Burnley and Wolves.

With Everton and Newcastle United both losing, a victory for Leeds would have sealed a 12th-placed finish but the Whites instead end up in 14th place.

Leeds made a bright start, the returning Jayden Bogle's pass sending Brenden Aaronson through and Aaronson brought down towards the edge of the box but with no free-kick given.

Following a break down the right, Lukas Nmecha looked to apply a quick finish to a James Justin shot across the box but Nmecha sent his effort well wide.

But after a slow start, West Ham eventually started to get going and a powerful drive from Pablo from the edge of the box went behind off Pascal Struijk only for a goal kick to be awarded and not a corner.

Midway through the half, a long range strike from Mateus Fernandes was comfortably beaten away by Karl Darlow.

But Leeds squandered the best chance of the half in the 35th minute as brilliant skill from Nmecha worked space in the box, the striker then squaring the ball for Dominic Calvert-Lewin whose attempt to roll home a finish was saved by Mads Hermansen.

After more sloppy defending from the Irons, Calvert-Lewin was presented with another chance to shoot from just outside the box a few minutes later but his firm drive was blocked.

The ball was then worked to Bogle whose powerful shot flew into the side netting.

West Ham looked to respond but Taty Castellanos could only head over on the stretch from a Pablo cross.

News then emerged that Tottenham had gone ahead against Everton but West Ham ended the half by twice going close, a cross from El Hadji Malick Diouf eventually smothered by Darlow under pressure from Tomas Soucek and Pablo then firing into the side netting from another Diouf cross.

There were no changes during the break, after which Leeds went close a couple of minutes after the restart as Aaronson drove through the middle of the park before seeing his low shot from the edge of the area saved.

But West Ham then squandered an even better chance a few moments later as substitute Callum Wilson played in Castellanos who took too long to get a shot away under pressure and Darlow eventually smothered.

Back up the other end, Leeds threatened again as an Ao Tanaka corner almost dropped for Struijk.

But another big Hammers chance was squandered as Castellanos blasted over from a tight angle after pinball in the Whites box from a direct Summerville run into the area.

After a break in play as Ethan Ampadu and Summerville clashed heads, a Wilson strike from the edge of the box was blocked.

But West Ham continued on the front foot and the Irons went ahead in simple fashion in the 67th minute as a Jarrod Bowen corner picked out Castellanos who made the most of a free header which he sent past Darlow.

Whites boss reacted by making a double change, Dan James and Willy Gnonto brought on as Calvert-Lewin and Bijol made way.

With Leeds struggling to respond, another double change followed as Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte and Joel Piroe were brought on for Bogle and Tanaka.

But West Ham then doubled their lead moments later as a brilliant through ball from Fernandes who raced away down the right before thumping home a clinical finish back across Darlow into the bottom left corner of the net.

In one final Leeds change, Farke took off Aaronson for Sebastiaan Bornauw in the first minute of added time and his men almost pulled a goal back from a corner which Bowen cleared off the line.

But a corner at the other end then led to West Ham bagging their third goal of the game, the ball cleared to the edge of the box to Wilson who unleashed a powerful drive that gave Darlow no chance as it flew into the back of the net.