Leeds United v Aston Villa Live Commentary & Result, 27/02/2021, Premier League

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	PTS	Form
1	MCI Manchester City	32	23	5	4	67	23	+44	74	L W W W L
2	MUN Manchester United	31	18	9	4	61	34	+27	63	W W W W D
3	LEI Leicester City	31	17	5	9	55	37	+18	56	L L W W D
4	WHU West Ham United	31	16	7	8	51	39	+12	55	W W D L W
5	CHE Chelsea	31	15	9	7	50	31	+19	54	W L D W W
6	LIV Liverpool	31	15	7	9	53	37	+16	52	W W W L L
7	TOT Tottenham Hotspur	31	14	7	10	52	35	+17	49	L D W L W
8	EVE Everton	30	14	6	10	41	38	+3	48	D D L L W
9	ARS Arsenal	31	13	6	12	43	35	+8	45	W L D W D
10	LEE Leeds United	31	14	3	14	49	49	0	45	W W W D L
11	AVL Aston Villa	30	13	5	12	43	33	+10	44	L W L D D
12	WOL Wolverhampton Wanderers	31	10	8	13	31	41	-10	38	W L L D L
13	CRY Crystal Palace	31	10	8	13	33	52	-19	38	L D W L D
14	SOU Southampton	31	10	6	15	39	56	-17	36	L W L L W
15	BHA Brighton & Hove Albion	31	7	12	12	33	38	-5	33	D L W W L
16	BRN Burnley	31	8	9	14	25	42	-17	33	L L W D D
17	NEW Newcastle United	31	8	8	15	32	51	-19	32	W D L D D
18	FUL Fulham	32	5	11	16	24	42	-18	26	L L L L W
19	WBA West Bromwich Albion	31	5	9	17	28	59	-31	24	W W L D L
20	SHU Sheffield United	31	4	2	25	17	55	-38	14	L L L L W

It's time now though for his side to catch up one of those outstanding games; Villa will next play Sheffield United in midweek, hoping for an easier ride against Chris Wilder's relegation-threatened Blades. Leeds will have to wait until a week on Monday before they're next in action - and it's going to be a tough one against high-flying West Ham. Until then however, thank you for joining us - and have a great weekend!

Dean Smith will be delighted though. With no Jack Grealish, his side don't quite pack the same freewheeling punch going forward - and the bonus of a very early goal meant they were able to firmly tie themselves to a strong defensive plan which ultimately paid off. They move back up the table.

Disappointment for Marcelo Bielsa's men, especially after the reverse result earlier in the season. They looked so alive in the second half against Southampton, a team who tried to beat them at their own game early on and failed. But they were shut down in another manner today, and the Argentine will be left to ruminate on what went wrong.

An early doors strike from Anwar El Ghazi is the difference, as Aston Villa turn in a tight defensive performance to stymie Leeds United at Elland Road - and revive their own Premier League fortunes once again. The Whites couldn't craft enough to break down a frequently fast and furious game at the back from the visitors - and they will be left to rue just what they could have done better. At full-time, it finishes Leeds United 0-1 Aston Villa.

90' + 5' FULL-TIME: LEEDS UNITED 0-1 ASTON VILLA

90' + 4' Martinez takes, cleanly, and that may well be the last roll of the dice for Leeds United. Targett looked to have downed Bamford there, but it's not something VAR cares about.

90' + 3' It's all-or-nothing time for Leeds; Hernandez wins a corner and Meslier is up from the other end. The hosts are gambling this one here.

90' + 2' Has this simply been an off-day for Leeds or just an excellent one for Villa? Once El Ghazi found the opener early on, they were able to play without pressure, knowing they had a cushion. They've man-marked superbly, but it also feels a bit like one of those games Leeds have under Bielsa where they just can't get their eye in for love nor money.

90' There's going to be five added minutes at Elland Road for Leeds to find something out of this. For Villa, it's simply just a case of managing this game intelligently.

89' Raphinha! That might have been the best chance of the half for Leeds, as their creative Brazilian rises to meet Harrison's looping cross at the right post and miscues his header wide. That's a disappointing one, and Bielsa shouts from his crouched position on the sidelines.

Trézéguet

A. El Ghazi

88' It's not easy to come to Elland Road, and face the barmy proposition that is Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds United, but Dean Smith will be delighted with the result today. Goalscorer El Ghazi now makes way, the change eating up the minutes as Villa add Trezeguet.

86' Konsa gets himself in the way of a diving header from Bamford and Villa see off Raphinha's corner. Another promising Leeds move finds a kind deflection for Hernandez near the penalty spot, but the Spaniard dallies too long and can't pull the trigger in time.

Pablo Hernández

Yellow Card

84' A flying high challenge from Targett sees him catch Hernandez on the back of the head to the Leeds man's fury. To add insult to injury, he's the one who gets booked instead, for what appears to be foul language in his protests.

82' Nakamba puts himself smartly into the path of a dangerous cross inside his own box now, as Leeds come close to unlocking the visitors' defence. He and his team-mates have done a wonderful job doubling up on those danger men today.

Ahmed El Mohamady

Yellow Card

80' A relatively innocuous free-kick for Villa inside their own half comes with a sudden price as Elmohamady takes too long for the referee's liking and is booked for time-wasting.

M. Sanson

J. Ramsey

79' Villa make their first change now, with Morgan Sanson on for Ramsey.

77' That's a particularly unnecessary challenge from Targett and he's fortunate not to pick up a second yellow as he practically wrestles Raphinha to the ground a few yards out to the left edge of the Villa box. The Brazilian curls it in and Martinez is safe as house beneath it.

75' Villa have been so strong at ensuring the rigidity of their defence when working backwards today; they've allowed Leeds to walk into their walls, before squeezing the chances out of their attack. Hernandez wins a corner now and Klich skews Raphinha's delivery under pressure, well off-target.

73' McGinn draws a free-kick off Klich, who would be wise to watch himself given that booking. The Villa man needs to have some attention for what appears to be a spontaneous nosebleed - though he did get close to Luke Ayling's unbound hair in the first half, so who knows? - before Leeds sharply clear the set-piece.

Pablo Hernández

T. Roberts

71' Villa are yet to make a swap but Leeds have completed their changes for the game now. Tyler Roberts is off - perhaps best given that yellow card - and Pablo Hernandez is on in his place.

69' It feels like El Ghazi's had more hits than Take That today, and he peels another finish off now, this one far too overcooked to trouble Meslier as it sails well into the stands behind.

67' Leeds counter smoothly from the subsequent corner and race into Villa's final third. There's a quarter of this game left to go and they still have no response to show on the scoreboard. The likelihood of a Whites win is slipping away.

66' Klich gives away a silly free-kick very close to the corner flag on Villa's right flank with a lazy shove and El Ghazi curls it in. Mings isn't too far off the mark with his header, clipping Cooper on the way over the crossbar.

J. Harrison

Hélder Costa

64' Now it is time for Leeds to make change number two, and Jack Harrison is indeed the man to arrive, replacing Helder Costa.

M. Klich

Yellow Card

63' It's raining yellow cards right now at Elland Road, this time with Klich the guilty party for taking out El Ghazi on the break. The referee looks to almost hand a booking to somebody else, but ultimately doesn't, with Meslier saving the eventual set-piece opportunity swung in.

M. Targett

Yellow Card

61' Targett also gets a booking for the tackle itself, and he's perhaps lucky to not face more. He seemed to go in for a second bite with his foot there as Roberts tried to stand, which is where the problem lies.

T. Roberts

Yellow Card

61' Oh, this could be costly for Leeds. They start a fast counter through the middle and Roberts has to slightly double back for the ball. Targett takes the chance to cut him up and the Wales international is furious with the tackle, swinging out with the ball at him in frustration. His actions get him a booking.

59' Villa know that the more they simply disrupt Leeds' attacks - helped by that pitch, which continues to send players for a freestyle solo dive every other minute - they'll see this one through. The Whites can't quite snap it together right now.

57' Could Leeds throw Jack Harrison on shortly too? The Manchester City loanee was pulled at the interval last week to make way for Costa. Given the young bench the hosts are sporting, he's probably one of the others likely to enter the fray.

55' Villa do a fantastic job at holding up Leeds around the edge of their box, blocking every avenue to slip the ball in and Cooper's ultimate delivery for Raphinha is too heavy-handed to allow the Brazilian to bring it under his control, tumbling away from a goal-kick.

E. Alioski

P. Struijk

53' With a Leeds corner ably defended by the visitors, the hosts now make their first change of the game, with Ezgjan Alioski on in place of Struijk.

52' Dean Smith and Marcelo Bielsa paint contrasts in their respective boxes, but it will be curious to see how those two get on as the game wears on. They famously were involved in a heated exchange once; these two, and their sides, have some history.

50' A looping Dallas cross-turned-half-chance that lands it Martinez's gloves allows Villa to launch a blistering counter, where El Ghazi outstrips Ayling and proceeds to cause trouble for the hosts. The last pass is ropier than intended however and Klich holds it back up in midfield to ensure Leeds steady their footing.

48' An early free-kick deep on the left flank for Villa allows them to pump players into the hosts' box. They don't find the purchase they want and Leeds counter, winning a set-piece of their own that Raphinha slots straight to Martinez.

46' We're back underway for the second half at Elland Road. Can Leeds swing this one back into their favour or can Villa hold on for a big win away from home?

Leeds United's pitch hasn't caused too many serious problems so far, but players are still falling over all over the shop. It's kept the rhythms of both sides a little more choppy than they might have wanted. But this is an open game, ripe for the taking.

Anwar El Ghazi's close-range finish inside the opening five minutes is the difference, as Aston Villa keep their noses in front against Leeds United. Both sides have had their chances, if nothing too golden so far - but this one very much still hangs in the balance, up for grabs. At half-time at Elland Road, it is Leeds United 0-1 Aston Villa.

45' + 1' HALF-TIME: LEEDS UNITED 0-1 ASTON VILLA

45' Speaking of Bamford, England manager Gareth Southgate is in the stands today. He'll have his eye on the Leeds striker and also Ollie Watkins, the pair very much players at the fringe of his thoughts. The latter gets caught up in an incident now with Diego Llorente that needs to be defused. One extra minute incoming.

43' Ayling lost his bobble in the process of that move and, for a brief glorious minute, flies back down the wing with about two feet worth of hair fanning out behind him. He ties it back up as Klich pushes Leeds back down towards the Villa end; Bamford, who hasn't had a particularly striking game today, can't reel it back in.

41' This could be a problem in more ways than one for Villa. Traore concedes a free-kick just under 30 yards out after he comes together with Ayling and the former looks to be nursing some serious pain. Raphinha's delivery is good, headed in by Ayling and looped up towards the top-left corner; Martinez makes a fine save.

39' Leeds win a corner off a Raphinha run and the Brazilian's cheeky pull-back delivery is deflected away for a second after Costa strikes hot. Villa seize it this time around and go the length of the field through Watkins; his finish is tame and straight to Meslier.

37' Nakamba gets edged by Roberts and goes down deep in Villa territory, provoking the referee to have a word with the Leeds man. No card emerges but the gestures indicate that he may be on his final warning before a booking emerges.

36' That's a cracking ball from Raphinha, an absolute peach even with the deflection it takes. Bamford starts his run to collect it too early and Martinez is left untroubled, making the diving save with ease.

34' Raphinha slips a ball through to Ayling that is half-intercepted on the way. As such, the Leeds man seems surprised to actually get it and his subsequent shot is more of a poor lob cross skewed wide of the mark.

34' Klich edges a ball over the box with too much power, hoofing it beyond the heads of Villa's defence, but also his own trio of team-mates lurking around the six-yard area. A Villa counter comes to little, bodies slipping on the turf again.

32' Aston Villa have just a 17 per cent win ratio without Jack Grealish since August 2018. That gives you an indicator of just how much runs through his control around the park for the visitors - and how vital that goal could be.

30' Raphinha storms in down the left edge now, attempting to take Villa's defence on and they manage to tame him once again. The hosts took their time to get going against Southampton last time out, but they seem to have found their footing faster on this occasion, despite conceding early.

28' Bamford picks out a lovely ball on the edge of the box and edges it out wide to Raphinha. The former Rennes man, very much the most fluid player in this Leeds side, opts to try and pick out a team-mate rather than fire himself and his hesitation allow Villa to mob him and reclaim possession inside the area.

27' A great chance for Leeds goes begging as McGinn connects with Ayling's sharp square ball first, Bamford lurking but not close enough. Frustrating for the Whites.

25' Roberts responds down the other end by spraying a fantastic delivery from Llorente well over the crossbar. He could have been more on the money there; the Wales international is yet to score for Leeds in the Premier League.

24' Is El Ghazi's job today to provide the creative pulse usually supplied by Jack Grealish? Every time he gets in sight of goal, the Villa man pulls the trigger. This one tumbles comfortably wide of the left post, perhaps hooked too early with less pressure.

22' Raphinha turns on the afterburners and takes two Villa defenders for a ride down the left edge into the visitors' box, before Konsa sees his strike out for a corner. Llorente is the man who gets the header on it to finish; he puts it straight to Martinez.

21' There's a brief pause in play now following a challenge by Elmohamady on Dallas, one that looks suspiciously high with the boot. There's no malice in it, and no further action comes outside of a free-kick.

19' An intelligent run off the ball by Klich lays the platform for a cut-back finish by Dallas just inside the box, which he rifles comfortably wide of the left post. Again, there's a slip from a Leeds player in the buildup, the ground underneath giving way like a grass-stained pavlova.

17' El Ghazi again! Leeds are looking at sea around the back right now and the Villa man picks out another shot. Meslier parries this one, keeps it in the field of play and sends the hosts off on a counter that comes to nothing.

15' Costa muscles the second set-piece away for a throw and Villa stay camped deep in Leeds territory. Ramsey is making himself known down there too, causing a few problems as he harries the hosts.

14' El Ghazi! He's in the mood today and, with no real support near the edge of the box, pops a slightly ambitious effort in. Meslier bounces it with his palm over the crossbar and Villa have another corner, headed wide initially by Bamford in defence.

13' No side has conceded more goals in the first half of Premier League games this season than Leeds, but their generally relentless attitude to just about everything means they will likely carve out chances in response. Villa may wonder if one goal is enough; it could well be if the hosts are misfiring this evening.

11' Mings cuts in again smoothly to shepherd a dangerous looking ball back to Martinez, before Roberts and Raphinha combine on the next attack. Both lash shots in; the former's effort needs a great parry from the keeper, pushing the ball back into open play.

9' Leeds respond with a hard push of their own through the middle, Struijk the conduit on the edge of the box. Mings gives him no space to breathe and Villa smother the ball away. Marcelo Bielsa is impassive on the side.

7' Villa push themselves downfield again, into Leeds' final third with an oily ease, slipping a few passes in triangle formation around Ayling. No chance comes for them this time, but this is promising stuff.

O. Watkins

Assist

5' Watkins might have been trying to bend that one around rather than cross it himself, looking to dip it over a crowded box. Either way, it has paid off magnificently for them. Leeds have some work to do early on here, to counter that lightning blow.

A. El Ghazi

Goal

5' GOAL! ANWAR EL GHAZI SMASHES ASTON VILLA INTO THE LEAD! 1-0! What a start for Dean Smith's side! The corner looks to have beaten everyone, but Watkins rattles it back in from the far side to find his team-mate at the right post. He slips too as he makes the first touch but then wrestles it back under control and slips it past Meslier at close range. The best opening salvo the visitors could ask for!

4' Dallas concedes a second Villa corner now, this time on the hosts' left edge, and players amble into the box. Leeds have been susceptible to set-pieces this season, a noted weakness.

3' Villa recover and take it back down the other end, winning themselves the first corner of the game. El Ghazi's ball is a sweeping delivery, curled into the box where the visitors cry out for a handball against Ayling. The referee - and VAR, by extension - are not interested in their claims.

1' We are underway in this Premier League clash between Leeds United and Aston Villa!

1' What an early chance for the hosts! Bamford is sent clipping down the right wing and he steps in off the flank to sweep a ball in towards the far post. Raphinha can't quite get on the end of it, but both Leeds men slipped at the crucial moments too. That pitch looks rough around the edges.

The teams are poised to emerge at Elland Road and we are moments away from kick-off.

Don't be surprised if you hear about the pitch today too. Leeds will have a new surface put in at the close of the season, but their current one has already come in for some criticism. Players were slipping around like it was The Nutcracker on Ice against Southampton; there could be more of the same here.

Last time out, of course, it was the Patrick Bamford show - a second-half hat-trick that announced the journeyman striker, so often scorned in the Championship, could cut it in the Premier League. As a player, he surely remains one of Bielsa's most inspired transformations; he'll hope to prove his worth today once more.

Subs: Tom Heaton, Neil Taylor, Douglas Luiz, Trezeguet, Ross Barkley, Bjorn Engels, Morgan Sanson, Keinan Davis, Jacob Ramsey, Kaine Kesler.

ASTON VILLA (4-2-3-1): Emiliano Martinez; Ahmed Elmohamady, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings, Matt Targett; Marvelous Nakamba; John McGinn; Bertrand Traore, Jacob Ramsey, Anwar El Ghazi; Ollie Watkins.

Subs: Ezgjan Alioski, Kiko Casilla, Pablo Hernandez, Jack Harrison, Leif Davis, Joe Gelhardt, Charlie Cresswell, Jack Jenkins, Niall Huggins.

LEEDS UNITED (3-3-3-1): Illan Meslier; Diego Llorente, Liam Cooper, Pascal Struijk; Luke Ayling, Mateusz Klich, Stuart Dallas; Helder Costa, Tyler Roberts, Raphinha; Patrick Bamford.

Villa meanwhile make just the two changes to the side downed by Leicester City, with Marvelous Nakamba and Jacob Ramsey both handed spots in the first-choice XI. Grealish's absence, as noted, continues to hurt their creativity.

Helder Costa's crucial second-half performance against Southampton last time out means he is rewarded with a start ahead of Jack Harrison in Leeds' only change today, with Patrick Bamford once again leading the attack.

Grealish isn't the only England hopeful missing today, with Leeds' Kalvin Phillips still sidelined through injury. The midfielder recently lost his grandmother over the past month, and his teammates dedicated last week's win to her in a touching gesture. They'll hope to do her and themselves proud again today.

But Dean Smith's visitors will be desperate to reverse their own run of poor form too; though they sit a point above their hosts with two games in hand, they've just won one in their last four and are missing Jack Grealish, the creative hub of their forward momentum. This is a crucial clash for them too.

Marcelo Bielsa's Whites arrested a two-game slump last time out against previous high flyers Southampton, running riot in the second half thanks to a Raphinha masterclass, They're back on home soil - and that particularly choppy pitch - today again, looking to further restore their fortunes.

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the 2020-21 Premier League season, as Leeds United look to further consolidate their shot at a place in the top half of the table against a stuttering Aston Villa at Elland Road.

Leeds United v Aston Villa Live Commentary, 27/02/2021

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