London: With the first hat-trick of his career, Jack Harrison led Leeds to a 3-2 win over West Ham and in the process enabled his side to avenge the defeat they suffered a week earlier against the London side in the FA Cup.
Leeds manager, Marcelo Bielsa, whose side secured back-to-back wins in the Premier League, for the first time this season, said: “It was a very even game. It was beautiful, a typical Premier League game. It was good it was in our favour but the margin was very close.”
He added: “It was a triumph for the players because their effort they put in was moving and they showed a desire to win. It gives us a bit of momentum. To win two games in a row is good but we have to sustain these performances over time.”
Leeds took an early lead when Harrison hit a fierce shot past Lukasz Fabianski after a pass from Adam Forshaw who had picked up the rebound from a save by the Leeds goalkeeper from a shot Mateusz Klich. Aaron Cresswell may well be blamed for the goal as he had failed to intercept a pass before the ball went to Klich.
The Hammers pressed hard up front and in the 34th minute came the equaliser from a corner taken by Cresswell which was headed in by Jarrod Bowen after he was quick to move away from Stuart Dallas. But just three minutes later Leeds were leading again with Luke Ayling heading a corner to the far post where Harrison, just about onside, squeezed the ball in with his thigh.
Daniel James badly missed two chances for Leeds during stoppage time of the first half but seven minutes into the second half the Hammers equalised again. Fornals picked up the ball on the right and went past Pascal Struijk before shooting into the near corner.
Leeds continued relentlessly to press hard and were certainly the more energetic of the two sides. Their winning goal came an hour into the game. Raphinha sent a through pass that went past two defenders to Harrison who superbly lifted the ball over the advancing goalkeeper.
In the later stages, chances were missed by both sides. A free kick taken by Raphinha hit the post and Klich had a goal disallowed when his shot touched Rodrigo who was offside. In added time the Hammers could once again have found an equaliser but Bowen missed from four yards when he chested the ball over the bar instead of attempting a header.
Hammers manager, David Moyes, not happy about the match scheduling, said: “You don’t expect me to feel good about the result, do you? Not with a performance like that.”
He went on to say: “I have to give credit to the players for playing Leeds one Sunday then another and then a game in between while Leeds didn’t have a game. An excuse? Maybe, but I think it’s a fair one.”
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