Leeds United vs Luton Town FC (27th Nov 2024)

27/11/2024 LEEDS 3 -0 LUTON TOWN

Hatters fall to defeat at Leeds

Hatters go down to league leaders at Elland Road

The Hatters slipped to a fifth consecutive defeat away from Kenilworth Road as they were comfortably beaten by league leaders Leeds.

It took the hosts just 10 minutes to break the deadlock. Manor Solomon’s left-wing cross found Sam Byram in the six-yard box and, after seeing his initial shot blocked, the Leeds full-back was quickest to the loose ball to finish past Thomas Kaminski.

While Daniel Farke’s side were enjoying plenty of the ball, the Hatters’ first foray forward into the hosts’ half almost resulted in an equaliser. Victor Moses took Jordan Clark’s pass, bursting into the box. The former Chelsea man clipped a deft left-foot effort past Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier but with the crowd expecting the net to bulge, home skipper Pascal Struijk acrobatically cleared the ball off the line.

After going so close the Town then had to withstand heavy Leeds pressure as the hosts went in search of a second. Wilfried Gnonto saw a shot blocked on 24 minutes and Kaminski stopped a low shot from Brenden Aaronson a minute later.

It should have been 2-0 on 29 minutes only for Gnonto to side-foot straight at Kaminski. However the Hatters then spurned another great opportunity to level three minutes before the break. Carlton Morris’ fine curling cross from the right found Reece Burke unmarked at the back-post but the defender could not guide his header on target.

And that miss proved hard to take on the stroke of half-time as the hosts doubled their lead. From Joe Rothwell’s left-wing corner, Kaminski parried away as the ball bounced goalwards but Joel Piroe was quickest to the loose ball and the forward slammed home from two yards out. Instead of 1-1 it was 2-0 at the break.

Rob Edwards introduced Daiki Hashioka for Burke at the start of the second half and the hosts twice came close to adding a third after the restart when Ao Tanaka’s shot was held by Kaminski before Teden Mengi cleared a Piroe effort off the line.

On the hour Edwards made a double change in attack, introducing Joe Taylor and Elijah Adebayo for Morris and Brown, but Leeds’ pressure continued and Piroe wasn’t far away with a free-kick from the edge of the box that was deflected over the bar with 14 minutes left.

For all the home possession the Town weren’t still totally out of it at 2-0 and on 72 minutes Mengi saw a shot blocked from distance before Adebayo nodded over when well-placed on 76 minutes when rising to meet Clark’s corner.

But just like in the first half the Town conceded after spurning a decent chance as, on 81 minutes, Leeds made the game safe when Jayden Bogle’s fine pass released Dan James and he clipped a cool finish over Kaminski.

Kaminski then needed to be alert to prevent Mateo Joseph’s header from creeping home but, as the final moments ticked down, the Hatters continued to force half-chances. Shandon Baptiste’s fine low drive from the edge of the box was turned away well by Meslier before the Leeds keeper then pawed away a pot-shot from Clark in the third minute of time added on.

Kaminski kept out a fourth with the last action but it mattered not as the hosts were able to celebrate victory seconds later with the three points taking them back to the top of the Championship.

We’re on the road again on Saturday at Norwich. We’ll see you there. UTT.

Town: Kaminski; Burke (sub Hashioka 46), Moses (sub Chong 77), Mengi, McGuinness, Bell; Nakamba (sub Baptiste 74), Krauß, Clark; Morris (sub Adebayo 60), Brown (sub Taylor 59).

Subs not used: Krul, Woodrow, Mpanzu, Holmes.

Attendance: 35,340, including 1,087 in the away end cheering for the Town.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XcEXV3jocY – Rob Edwards post match interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPQaofVzPqI – match highlights

Timid Hatters are no match for Leeds as Whites go top with comfortable win

Championship: Leeds United 3 Luton Town 0

Luton's woeful away form continued as they fell to a fifth successive away defeat against a high-class Leeds United side who showed just why they have to be considered serious title-challengers this term.

As impressive as the Whites were from start to finish, Daniel Farke's team ascent back to the top of the table never in doubt, it was another timid display on the road from the Hatters who still can't find any way of taking their battling Kenilworth Road form on the road with them. Town boss Rob Edwards made four changes for the contest, Amari'i Bell, Victor Moses, Jordan Clark and Jacob Brown all in as Tom Holmes, Shandon Baptiste, Tahith Chong and Elijah Adebayo dropped to the bench.

Town lined up with a back three of Teden Mengi, Mark McGuinness and Bell, with Reece Burke and Moses operating as the wingbacks, but United gave an early indication of their danger on the flanks, Manor Solomon tricking his way into the box and finding Wilfried Gnonto, whose shot deflected into the gloves of Thomas Kaminski.

Leeds settled into confidently knocking the ball around with complete ease in the early stages, as bar the odd clearance, Town just couldn't get hold of it for longer than a few precious seconds. As expected it paid dividends for the hosts on 10 minutes, United passing Luton to death and getting into the box again with some neat interchanges, Sam Byram pulling the trigger.

Although Clark was able to get a block in, the ball looped up and with Town's midfielder unsure just where it was, could only see his opponent unleash a jumping scissor kick that gave Kaminski no chance at all. Despite their obvious ascendancy, Luton were denied a leveller on 18 minutes due to a brilliant goal-line clearance from Pascal Struijk after Moses did well to find Clark, who in turn picked out the run of his team-mate.

He reached the ball ahead of Illan Meslier, dinking his angled attempt over the keeper brilliantly but just before it dropped into the net, the Leeds skipper came out of nowhere with a magnificent sliding clearance to hook off the line and prevent parity being restored. Leeds continued their control on proceedings though as the amount of times they were able to break into Luton's area with such ease was staggering, Brenden Aaronson bizarrely not opting to shoot when completely unmarked midway through the half, trying to find a team-mate instead, Mengi able to clear.

The USA international then did have a crack from range, as although it skipped up off the greasy surface, it was easy for Kaminski to gather. Leeds continued to demonstrate just why they were a side Edwards described as 'the best' in the Championship before kick-off, one splendid move seeing Joe Rothwell's raking pass find Solomon as the on-loan Tottenham winger picked out the lively Gnonto, but Kaminski was able to dive to his left and hold on.

Although being left to feed on scraps, Luton again might have levelled on 42 minutes when Brown picked up a loose ball, but with the pitch opening up, opted against shooting. The attack looked like it was breaking down only for Morris to then curve in a brilliant cross that picked out the run of Burke at the back post who disappointingly put his free downward header wide.

While Town couldn't take their chance, Leeds went up the other end and showed how it was done, as on the stroke of half time a simple corner was met by that man Stuijk whose header was clawed away by Kaminski only for the lurking Joel Piroe to crash home the rebound and give Leeds the second goal their dominance had definitely deserved.

The visitors brought on Daiki Hashioka for Burke at the break, who was immediately booked for a rash challenge, Ao Tanaka having a crack from outside the box, Kaminski barely having to move to collect. He was almost picking the ball out of his net again just before the hour mark, Piroe swivelling to beat the Belgian but not the covering Mengi, as Luton gave Joe Taylor a rare run-out, the forward forming part of a new front two with Adebayo, Morris and Brown making way.

Piroe had another blast from a free just outside the area but Marvelous Nakamba was quickly out to block, while with all the game being played in Luton territory, Town hen finally did at least cross the half-way line and have a period of play in the opposition's half, ending with Mengi's shot being blocked away. They also went on to win their first corner with 13 minutes left, Clark's flag-kick headed narrowly over by Adebayo.

Solomon was also off target at the other end as for a second it looked like there could be an end-to-end closing stages. That was the case too as substitute Dan James sealed a result that had looked a foregone conclusion from very early on, beating Bell to a pass over the top and delicately lobbing Kaminski.

With Town on the hunt for a consolation, they finally began to threaten picking one up, Shandon Baptiste's wonderful pass finding Adebayo, Meslier out bravely in a flash to block. Kaminski scooped Mateo Joseph's header away as both Baptiste and Clark tried their luck from distance, Meslier scrambling their attempts away. In stoppage time, Leeds almost had a breath-taking fourth, slicing the Hatters' back-line apart, only to see Kaminski keep out Jayden Bogle's effort.

Whites: Illan Meslier, Jayden Bogle, Pascal Stuijk ©, Joe Rodon, Joe Rothwell (Joshua Guilavogui 84), Joel Piroe (Mateo Joseph 70), Brenden Aaronson (Largie Ramazani 84), Manor Solomon, Ao Tanaka, Sam Byram (Max Wober 59), Wilfried Gnonto (Dan James 70).

Subs not used: Karl Darlow, Patrick Bamford, James Debayo, Charlie Crew.

Hatters: Thomas Kaminski, Reece Burke (Daiki Hashioka 46), Teden Mengi, Mark McGuinness, Amari'i Bell, Victor Moses (Tahith Chong 77), Marvelous Nakamba (Shandon Baptiste 74), Tom Krauß, Jordan Clark, Carlton Morris (Elijah Adebayo 60), Jacob Brown (Joe Taylor 59).

Subs not used: Tim Krul, Pelly Ruddock Mpanzu, Cauley Woodrow, Tom Holmes.

Referee: Sam Allison.

Booked: Hashioka 49, Clark 67, Ramazani 90.

Attendance: 35,340.

Edwards disappointed his Town players went 'off piece' during Elland Road loss

Luton chief reacts to Leeds defeat

Luton boss Rob Edwards was left frustrated with his players for coming ‘off piece’ during their 3-0 defeat at Leeds United this evening.

With the Whites looking for a victory that would see them go back to the top of the table, they got a first goal they had threatened from the opening whistle with 10 minutes gone, Sam Byram scoring an impressive scissor kick from inside the area after Town couldn’t clear their lines. It allowed Daniel Farke’s men to settle into silky passing football to the delight of a packed Elland Road and move the Hatters around with ease.

Watching on from the dug-out, a clearly disappointed Edwards said afterwards: “They were the better team, they are the better team at the moment, it looked like that tonight, but I think the frustrations for us are there was a clear plan there and we came off piece at the wrong moment. We pressed at the wrong times and opened up too many spaces in that first 20 minutes or so, where we need to make better decisions.

"We wanted to be aggressive, we wanted to press, that was the message, that’s always the message, but we’ve got to be able to do it at the right moment, right people. Maybe a striker going too soon which meant a midfielder had to jump inside and leave spaces on the outside and they’re good at finding those spaces. Then from the sidelines and with 35,000 people, it's difficult to try and get those changes when we needed to make the good decisions when we're out there.”

Despite being outplayed, it had looked like Luton were going to get through to the interval without any further harm, only to then concede a second in stoppage time from a simple corner routine, Pascal Struijk’s header saved by Thomas Kaminski and Joel Piroe slamming home the rebound. It led to a very comfortable second period, as the new leaders even added a third late on through Dan James.

Edwards continued: “The goals are obviously the thing that people look at. Goals win games and they’re all avoidable, very, very disappointing, particularly the second because I feel like that really right before half time is a real blow. We shouldn’t give the corner away in the first place and then we don’t deal with it, so incredibly frustrating."

Despite Luton’s dominance, the Hatters weren’t without their chances, Victor Moses seeing a chip brilliant cleared off the line by Struijk and Reece Burke putting a close range header wide before the interval. Edwards added: “They did look better (than us), but I suppose if one of those goes in it maybe changes things, the mindset and the atmosphere or whatever, I don’t know. We did have two big chances in that first half, one great clearance and then missed the target with the other. It could have been a different story but it wasn’t.”

Edwards insists the 'fight' remains as Town boss searches for an end to away day misery

Luton lose a fifth successive game on the road

Luton boss Rob Edwards insisted the fight was definitely still there from his players despite stretching their worrying away form to five straight defeats when going down to an alarmingly tame 3-0 loss at Leeds United last night.

The Hatters were second best from pretty much the word go at Elland Road on Wednesday evening as the 35,000 in attendance settled in to watch Daniel Farke’s side retake their place at the summit during what must have been one of their most one-sided victories of the campaign. With 940 touches of the ball to the Hatters’ 413, United moved ahead after just 10 minutes when Sam Byram netted a brilliant scissor kick volley after Town couldn’t clear their lines.

A second arrived on the stroke of half time, Luton undone in desperately poor fashion from a corner, Joel Piroe hammering in from close range, before Dan James sealed the win late on by delicately lobbing Thomas Kaminski after escaping the attentions of Amari’i Bell. Between the goals, the Hatters found themselves with under 25 percent of the ball for the majority of the contest, often reduced to chasing shadows.

A second arrived on the stroke of half time, Luton undone in desperately poor fashion from a corner, Joel Piroe hammering in from close range, before Dan James sealed the win late on by delicately lobbing Thomas Kaminski after escaping the attentions of Amari’i Bell. Between the goals, the Hatters found themselves with under 25 percent of the ball for the majority of the contest, often reduced to chasing shadows.

Despite that, Edwards felt his side were still showing they were up for the battle, as he said: “The fight is there, but there were some poor decision making and some big mistakes that we're getting punished for and that has been the case for a long time. They’re (the players) flat, one or two are angry which is understandable, that’s human nature, but what we need to see is performances, especially when we go away from home.”

Having swapped ends with a two-goal deficit, the second period was largely a training exercise for the hosts, as it took Shandon Baptiste’s introduction with around 15 minutes remaining to give Luton any kind of attacking threat, wonderfully finding Elijah Adebayo for an effort that was well saved by Illan Meslier. The former Brentford man also tested the Frenchman from distance along with Clark in the closing stages, but it was all in the vain hope of a late consolation rather than any thoughts of a comeback.

On his side’s approach to the second period, Edwards continued: “There’s still a chance at two-nil and then we had to make sure we stayed in it and we did for a long period. If we’d have come charging out too soon, we’re, especially away from home, not at home, away from home, finding that balance of being aggressive and not opening up spaces behind is something that we're really searching for and which is difficult at the moment.

“We didn’t want to go ultra aggressive and gung-ho straight away in the second half and open up too much. We're in the game and the third goal is the final nail in the coffin and its game over then, it’s avoidable. We went with clarity, exactly what we needed to do. You could see we had to adjust a couple of minor things, strikers playing closer together and when it goes to the outside then its midfielders are able to go and get the pressure, the right timing of who goes when. It was difficult then for them to get through us and behind us which was the plan at the beginning but we didn’t carry it out.”

With Town losing a fifth successive fixture outside of Bedfordshire, it’s the first time they have done so in the second tier since the 2019-20 campaign, although they have some way to go to match Graeme Jones’ team who were beaten in 11 straight matches back then. They do have a chance to rectify it at the weekend when visiting Norwich City, although the Canaries were boosted by hitting six past Plymouth Argyle at Carrow Road on Tuesday night, only beaten once in front of their own fans this term.

Edwards added: “We’re searching for it (away form) and we want that consistency. That was the message to you guys yesterday and it is at the moment and it will be again at the weekend in another very difficult game. We’ve got to recover well and show some fight about us. That's what we talked about in the dressing room there. We have to see that as we’ve got a chance to do something about it."