Mighty Leeds Weblog

Leeds United were always expected to lose to Manchester City and the 3-1 scoreline did flatter them a little, but it was not a night of entirely lost causes at Elland Road. By Graham Smyth There were a few performances of note that gave the hosts positives to cling to ahead of a tricky trip to Newcastle United – including that of the returning-from-illness Illan Meslier. Without the Frenchman’s interventions, Leeds could easily have stared down the barrel of a rout and it took just 40 seconds for the goalkeeper’s importance to show. Not everyone in White covered themselves in glory, however. Here’s the YEP take on an inevitably difficult evening, as Premier League football made its return to LS11. Good day Willy Gnonto It's very difficult to see how Jack Harrison gets his place back with Gnonto playing as he did against Manchester City. The 'Premier League ready' debate was put to bed as he ran at Manchester City defenders, went past them and drew fouls in dange...

Erling Haaland took his Premier League goal tally to 20 after scoring a brace against Leeds United on Wednesday but the Norwegian international decided against celebrating Erling Haaland has admitted that he didn't celebrate his two goals against Leeds United because he has "respect" for the club after being born in the city. The Manchester City forward struck his 19th and 20th Premier League goals of the season as Pep Guardiola's side ran out 3-1 winners at Elland Road. Rodri also found the net for City, who closed the gap on leaders Arsenal to five points at the top of the table heading into their New Year's Eve clash with Everton. But, unsurprisingly, it was Haaland who stole the show yet again with two excellent finishes to continue his impressive start to the campaign. His first was a simple tap-in after Jack Grealish pinched the ball off Robin Koch, before running through on goal and squaring across to Haaland to stroke home. Grealish was also the pr...

Roy Keane is a shadow forever stalking Alfie Haaland. These days Haaland speaks of him in tired, uninterested tones. But you doubt that the Norwegian would hold so much affection in Leeds were it not for his history with Manchester United’s ex-captain. Haaland was back at Leeds United in December, a guest at a Championship game against Ipswich. He attended a function in the club’s banqueting suite beforehand and gave a thousand handshakes to all and sundry; a cult hero among the masses at Elland Road. It was never his intention to be regarded as one but two clashes with Keane in 1997 and 2001 – the first as a Leeds player and the second with Manchester City – made him welcome in Yorkshire any time. When Keane came to Elland Road as manager of Sunderland in 2006, he was greeted with chants of ‘One Alfie Haaland’ from the Kop. That feud still resonates. Haaland has done his best to forget about the reckless tackle which began the countdown to his retirement 12 years ago; the studs-u...