Leeds 2-3 Fulham: Cottagers beat Whites to increase pressure on Marsch

2 years ago 20
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Aleksandar Mitrovic heads in for FulhamAleksandar Mitrovic's goal was his ninth in the Premier League this season

Leeds boss Jesse Marsch faces an uncertain future after Fulham came from behind to claim a win at Elland Road that leaves the Whites in in the Premier League bottom three and without a win in eight games.

Second-half goals from Bobby Decordova-Reid and Willian sealed the game for the Cottagers - the former steering a header before the latter scored from close range to provoke mutiny among the home crowd.

The last 10 minutes were played out to the sound of chants against Marsch and the club's board with the final whistle greeted by boos from around the ground.

Looking to boost their lowly league position and the standing of their beleaguered boss, the home side had led through Rodrigo's header in the 20th minute, raising the prospect of a first win since August.

But familiar defensive failings again undid them as they allowed Aleksandar Mitrovic an unchallenged close-range header from a corner just six minutes later.

In what is becoming a familiar story, the Whites looked huffed and puffed in attack but looked vulnerable all afternoon.

It took a superb goal-line block from Marc Roca to stop Harrison Reed scoring the opener and a fine save from Illan Meslier to stop Andreas Pereira making it 2-1 before the break.

Decordova-Reid and Willian took their chances when they came to complete the turnaround and ensure that not even Crysencio Summerville's late goal could alter the result.

It gives this enterprising and confident Fulham side a second successive win following Thursday's 3-0 win over Aston Villa and leaves Marsch to an uncertain fate.

Leeds wilt as Fulham fight back

After Thursday's loss at Leicester, which left Leeds out of the bottom three only on goal difference and saw a travelling support turn on Marsch, this felt like a must-win game for the American.

It was only a week ago that they largely outplayed league leaders Arsenal at Elland Road and Marsch was eager before Sunday's game to draw on this positive and the possibility of a repeat.

They certainly set to do just that in a bold and bright opening 20 minutes, backed by a vociferous crowd, at the end of which Rodrigo nodded the opener following Jack Harrison's blocked shot.

This would be as good as it got, though, for the home side, who wilted as soon as Fulham got to grips with the game and showed some endeavour.

Mitrovic, who struggled during his last Premier League campaign, is a different top-flight animal this season and needs little invitation to score - so Leeds erred badly by leaving him unmarked six yards out from a corner.

And the home side diced with danger all too regularly, needing Roca to rescue them at 0-0 and Meslier to do the same at 1-1.

There was no rescue act once Decordova-Reid had glanced in his hammer blow of a header and Willian had tapped home to put daylight between the sides.

As Leicester witnessed on a smaller scale on Thursday - and as Fulham will have known going into this game - the Leeds support is a powder keg waiting to ignite in fury at the club's failings.

And so it came to pass with chants against the manager and board, the latter getting the lion's share, only interrupted momentarily by Summerville's goal - his first for the club.

Boos filled the ground at full-time and continued as Marsch took to the pitch to applaud the fans. It could well be the last this ground sees of the American.

For Fulham, this represents another big feather in the cap. A second successive win was their fifth of this Premier League season - the same amount they managed in the entirety of their last top-flight campaign in 2020-21. This win puts them seventh.

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Leeds United

  1. Squad number1Player nameMeslier

  2. Squad number2Player nameAyling

  3. Squad number5Player nameKoch

  4. Squad number6Player nameCooper

  5. Squad number21Player nameStruijk

  6. Squad number42Player nameGreenwood

  7. Squad number8Player nameRoca

  8. Squad number11Player nameHarrison

  9. Squad number7Player nameAaronson

  10. Squad number23Player nameSinisterra

  11. Squad number19Player nameRodrigo

  1. Squad number9Player nameBamford

  2. Squad number10Player nameSummerville

  3. Squad number30Player nameGelhardt

  4. Squad number43Player nameKlich

Fulham

  1. Squad number17Player nameLeno

  2. Squad number14Player nameDe Cordova-Reid

  3. Squad number4Player nameTosin

  4. Squad number13Player nameReam

  5. Squad number33Player nameRobinson

  6. Squad number6Player nameReed

  7. Squad number26Player nameJoão Palhinha

  8. Squad number8Player nameWilson

  9. Squad number18Player nameAndreas Pereira

  10. Squad number20Player nameWillian

  11. Squad number9Player nameMitrovic

  1. Squad number5Player nameDuffy

  2. Squad number7Player nameKebano

  3. Squad number10Player nameCairney

  4. Squad number30Player nameCarlos Vinícius

Line-ups

Leeds

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1Meslier
  • 2Ayling
  • 5Koch
  • 6CooperBooked at 39mins
  • 21StruijkSubstituted forGelhardtat 84'minutes
  • 42GreenwoodSubstituted forKlichat 76'minutes
  • 8Roca
  • 11Harrison
  • 7Aaronson
  • 23SinisterraSubstituted forSummervilleat 64'minutes
  • 19RodrigoSubstituted forBamfordat 64'minutes

Substitutes

  • 3Firpo
  • 9Bamford
  • 10Summerville
  • 14Llorente
  • 18Gyabi
  • 22Robles
  • 25Kristensen
  • 30Gelhardt
  • 43Klich

Fulham

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 17Leno
  • 14De Cordova-Reid
  • 4Tosin
  • 13Ream
  • 33RobinsonBooked at 62mins
  • 6ReedSubstituted forCairneyat 90+3'minutes
  • 26Lobo Alves Palhinha Gonçalves
  • 8WilsonSubstituted forKebanoat 63'minutes
  • 18Pereira
  • 20WillianSubstituted forDuffyat 89'minutes
  • 9MitrovicSubstituted forAlves Moraisat 90+2'minutes

Substitutes

  • 1Rodák
  • 5Duffy
  • 7Kebano
  • 10Cairney
  • 25Onomah
  • 27Mbabu
  • 30Alves Morais
  • 31Diop
  • 38Harris

Referee:Anthony Taylor

Attendance:36,447

Live Text

  1. Match ends, Leeds United 2, Fulham 3.

  2. Second Half ends, Leeds United 2, Fulham 3.

  3. Corner, Fulham. Conceded by Crysencio Summerville.

  4. Substitution, Fulham. Tom Cairney replaces Harrison Reed.

  5. Substitution, Fulham. Carlos Vinícius replaces Aleksandar Mitrovic.

  6. Goal! Leeds United 2, Fulham 3. Crysencio Summerville (Leeds United) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Joe Gelhardt with a through ball.

  7. Corner, Leeds United. Conceded by Bobby De Cordova-Reid.

  8. Substitution, Fulham. Shane Duffy replaces Willian.

  9. Offside, Leeds United. Luke Ayling tries a through ball, but Patrick Bamford is caught offside.

  10. Attempt missed. Tosin Adarabioyo (Fulham) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Andreas Pereira with a cross following a corner.

  11. Corner, Fulham. Conceded by Crysencio Summerville.

  12. Substitution, Leeds United. Joe Gelhardt replaces Pascal Struijk.

  13. Goal! Leeds United 1, Fulham 3. Willian (Fulham) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Harrison Reed.

  14. Attempt blocked. Liam Cooper (Leeds United) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Brenden Aaronson.

  15. Attempt blocked. Luke Ayling (Leeds United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.

  16. Corner, Leeds United. Conceded by Tosin Adarabioyo.

  17. Robin Koch (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  18. Foul by Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham).

  19. Substitution, Leeds United. Mateusz Klich replaces Sam Greenwood.

  20. Goal! Leeds United 1, Fulham 2. Bobby De Cordova-Reid (Fulham) header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Andreas Pereira with a cross following a corner.

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