Key stats
- Leeds United now have a record of W5, D1, L1 when scoring the opening goal at home in the Premier League this season.
- Fulham have now failed to win any of their last seven matches when conceding first in the Premier League.
- Lukas Nmecha has now scored the opening goal in four Premier League matches this season.
Highlights
Analysis
Leeds were dominant throughout against Fulham and deserved to take all three points.
Match report
Leeds’ breathless trip to Newcastle in their last PL outing was one of the games of the season, but similar entertainment was in desperately short supply in an attritional first half at Elland Road.
The in-form visitors must’ve been particularly displeased with their performance, as they failed to trouble home goalkeeper Karl Darlow, who replaced Lucas Perri in the league for the first time since October.
Brenden Aaronson had the best chance before the break, but after being picked out by Jayden Bogle, the American blazed high and wide from a promising position.
Parity meant that Leeds kept up their record of not trailing at HT at home in the PL this season, yet far more was expected from both sides following the restart.
Quality remained at a premium in the second period, but Daniel Farke’s men continued to be the side on the front foot.
They went close to an opener twice either side of the hour mark, but Dominic Calvert-Lewin could only direct Aaronson’s cross wide of the near post before Gabriel Gudmundsson fired high and wide on the other side.
Emile Smith Rowe then threatened a deadlock breaker against the run of play for Fulham, but after pouncing on Darlow’s poor headed clearance, he failed to hit the target from distance.
Calvert-Lewin and Pascal Struijk failed with late chances for Leeds, but it was substitute Nmecha who struck the killer blow.
Ethan Ampadu’s teasing cross from the right was met on the stretch by Nmecha, who had seen his last three PL goals come in losing causes, to turn home the decisive goal here.
Fulham’s unbeaten league run therefore ends at six matches and sees them drop to 10th, while Leeds have now opened up a 10-point gap to the drop zone and are unbeaten in five on their own turf.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Ethan Ampadu (Leeds United)
Post-match comments
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke to Sky Sports: "The best win of the season, we played an in-form Fulham side. Important three points and a fantastic win. We were relentless until the end.
"For me the best win of the season so far. We didn't allow them to show their quality in offence. We kept going and we were relentless and we had belief and it was an important three points for us. We wanted to go for this win and the lads have delivered in a top class way."
Fulham manager Marco Silva to Sky Sports: "It was not a good performance from us. Leeds won the game and we have to congratulate them. We knew that it was going to be difficult with the way they play and the way they press.
"We were below the standards in the second half and we definitely have to do much better. We have to be unhappy with how we conceded the goal."