No one inside Elland Road can overstate how important a single swing of Raphinha’s left boot is in the context of Leeds United’s season. Make no mistake about it, there was plenty of Marcelo Bielsa’s admiration ahead of the injury-time win from the Brazilian that sent his side away from the wrong end of the Premier League table.
But goals, not encouraging performances, are ultimately the difference between success and failure at this level, something Leeds fans can painstakingly testify to have seen their team in recent weeks. Without the goal threat introduced by Patrick Bamford last season, Leeds worked in front of goal, and it looked like this would be another all-too-familiar chapter of their season in front of a famous crowd.
“The team played the whole game, which is essential,” Bielsa said afterwards. There was certainly no shortage of effort, but with serendipity after serendipity it seemed as if all that effort would be futile. Then, as Leeds pressed frantically, Mark Guehy dealt in the Leeds box and Ravenha kept his cool to send Vicente Guaita the wrong way. Only in May will we know how important that moment is, but for now, it definitely looks seismic.
Leeds are now five points ahead of the last three, and with Bamford’s return looming, there is reason to be optimistic. “We always give everything in every game, but winning brings happiness and in a human group, happiness is indispensable,” Bielsa said. But for their opponents, the tumultuous final moments left a very different feeling for Patrick Vieira.
His team could have finished seventh, albeit temporarily before the rest of the midweek matches, with a win. They had chances of their own, and they played well enough in corrections to win the match, but waned at the end of the drama. “It’s very frustrating because we were the better team,” Vieira said. “We created enough chances to score and we didn’t and in a tight match like this, if you don’t take your chances, you will be penalized.”
How was the palace punished? Leeds had the most chances but the best of them fell to the visitors at the last minute. Five minutes after coming off the bench, Christian Benteke wasn’t marked at the back post, but somehow tried to hit a Wilfried Zaha cross from close range. It was not clear whether the wasteful side of Leeds would make Benteke and Balls deny a missed opportunity and for so long it looked as if they would not.
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The hosts started both halves well, but the most obvious chances came after the first half. Substitute Rodrygo moved away after a superb Ravenha cross freed Dan James, before Adam Furshaw – who returned from a long absence with real confidence – tested Guaita. These opportunities, and many others, came and went and when the Elland Road crowd began to head toward the exits, frustrated again, their luck turned in an instant.
How entire seasons can change in moments like this too. Kevin Friend initially dismissed the handball allegations against Guéhi but when VAR intervened, he pointed out the venue. Without Bamford, Leeds fans watched eagerly as Ravenha climbed, before descending into a rave as he bludgeoned Guetta. It’s too early to say Leeds’ fortunes have changed, but nights like this suggest they can look up, rather than down, with confidence with Christmas – and Bamford’s back – on the horizon.