Leeds made it seven wins in a row in the Championship and also kept a fourth consecutive clean sheet as they thumped Swansea 4-0 in South Wales on Tuesday. Crysencio Summerville and Joel Piroe put the Whites command with a quickfire double inside the first 10 minutes, and Wilfried Gnonto effectively settled the game before the break. The Italian would add another in the second half to round out the victory.
Elsewhere, Southampton suffered a first defeat in 23 league matches away to Bristol City, which means that Leeds now climb into the automatic promotion places. They have played a game more than the Saints, but all the momentum is with Daniel Farke's side right now. In fact, the only concern to arise from Tuesday night was an injury to Patrick Bamford.
Bamford had been due to start the game, but he picked up an issue in the warm-up, and Farke had to draft in Joel Piroe late on instead. Leeds are now anxiously waiting for more information on the issue.
Bamford injures knee before Swansea game
Reporting from Farke's post-match press conference, The Athletic's Phil Hay offered a Bamford update. The striker has apparently hurt his knee, but Leeds aren't yet sure whether any ligaments have been damaged.
The player himself was optimistic that the issue isn't "too bad", but Leeds will of course need him to undergo specialist examination to determine whether he requires a spell on the sidelines.
"Teacher" Bamford had been flying
Bamford didn't make his first league appearance of the current season until the end of September after suffering a hamstring injury during pre-season. Since his return, he's started six Championship games and appeared in 16 more off the bench.
He wouldn't score his first goal of the season until the 3-0 win over Birmingham City on New Year's Day, but had been in great form since then. Before Tuesday's game, he'd scored five goals and provided two assists in his last nine appearances in all competitions.
Leeds titan who won 100% duels was as good as Gnonto & Summerville v Swans
The former Swans star enjoyed a wonderful visit to his former club on Tuesday.
ByDan Emery
That stretch earned him Leeds' Player of the Month award for January, and also saw him nominated for the PFA Fans' Player of the Month prize for the whole division.
Farke made his admiration for Bamford clear in January when he said: "I'm really happy and delighted for Patrick because he had such a difficult time. We don't have to speak about two difficult years in total, but also this season. I think he had a really good pre-season, was more or less on the edge to start the first game, first home game of the season, then the long term injury, eight weeks out."
Rank
Player
G+A/90
1
Crysencio Summerville
0.90
2
Dan James
0.75
3
Patrick Bamford
0.62
4
Wilfried Gnonto
0.56
5
Joel Piroe
0.55
The Englishman also seems to be an important figure in the dressing room at Elland Road based on an observation from Graham Smyth before the FA Cup replay against Plymouth, when he played a "teacher" role by calling over young striker Mateo Joseph and imparting some advice during the warm-up. If this is a significant injury, then, Bamford will be a huge miss.