14.26 GMTFull-time: Leeds 4-0 Ipswich
And that’s that. A match whose result wasn’t in doubt from about half an hour in.
23 Dec 202314.58 GMTAnd with that, I’ll bid you farewell. Here’s the match report. Thanks for reading, and season’s greetings.
Kieran McKenna speaks: “It wasn’t our day and it’s a difficult afternoon, but I thought the first half the gulf between the teams wasn’t a 3-0. The moments went against us and they’re such a good team in the transitions. There was a crystal clear foul on Connor Chaplin in the buildup to the first goal but we didn’t defend the corner – we need to do better. Once we’re 1-0 down it’s difficult, we looked comfortable without threatening so going in at 0-3 down was tough. I’ve not seen whether there was a foul for the second goal but the first was a big one so early in the game. I haven’t seen the penalty decision back we shouldn’t let them break out of that attacking scenario. I wouldn’t have done anything different approach-wise – we also know how our season’s going, we didn’t approach it any different. W’ve had an incredible first half of the season, today didn’t go our way aganst a really strong team but it’s a 46-game season.”
Daniel Farke’s take: “I can’t praise [the players] enough against one of the best sides in the league – one of the most mature performances of the entire season, we kept them really quiet, a couple of half-chances in the first half and second half and that’s all. Against a really food side who deserve to be in the top positions and the most important topic was we kept going when we were in the lead. In all areas we were really strong.”
23 Dec 202314.36 GMTSome on-pitch chat with Crysencio Summerville and man of the match Georginio Rutter, who says: “I’m very happy. The target is to gos traight back to the Premier League so we had to win.” His teammate Summerville adds: “When you score early you can builod momentum , Georgie is formidable he’s the best, creatgive like me, and we’ve got a good connection. Our plan is jut to focus on ourselves [not the teams above us] – don’t watch first and second place, just ourselves.”
23 Dec 202314.29 GMTAnd to add to the festive mood at Elland Road, Manchester United have gone and lost again.
23 Dec 202314.29 GMTLeeds celebrate to the familiar strains of Rockin’ All Over The World. They were superb today – confident in and out of possession, purposeful, high pressing and passing with aplomb more and more as the game went on. The top two is a realistic target for them for sure. Ipswich struggled for a plan B once their passing game got nullified, but they’re renowned for bouncing back strongly from their rare defeats so shouldn’t be too despondent.
23 Dec 202314.26 GMTFull-time: Leeds 4-0 Ipswich
And that’s that. A match whose result wasn’t in doubt from about half an hour in.
23 Dec 202314.23 GMT90+2 mins: The game now meandering to the finish without tension, Ipswich seeing a bit more of the ball.
23 Dec 202314.21 GMT90 mins: We’ll have five extra minutes.
23 Dec 202314.20 GMT89 mins: This feels like one of the pivotal results of the entire Championship season. How each side responds to it could determine much in the race for automatic promotion. Harness has looked livelyish since coming on and his cross causes a bit of panic in the Leeds area and prefaces Clarke dashing in for the byline but he runs it out of player after a challenge.
23 Dec 202314.18 GMT87 mins: Bamford clatters Clarke, who’s kept going manfully on the Ipswich right, but escapes a booking. But it gives Ipswich at least a chance to knock it about a bit again but Chaplin is again dispossessed as he tries to ferret into the box.
23 Dec 202314.14 GMT84 mins: A final Ipswich sub: Brandon Williams on for Leif Davis, who’s had an unhappy return to Elland Road.
23 Dec 202314.14 GMT83 mins: Harness tries to get it launched, uncharacteristically, but his ball forward for Chaplin is overhit. Easily gathered
23 Dec 202314.12 GMT81 mins: Leeds subs: Piroe and the outstanding Rutter off, Bamford and Joseph on.
23 Dec 202314.11 GMT80 mins: Leeds come again, Summerville darting into the box on the inside-left, laying it out wide for the sub Firpo, but he makes a slight mess of his first touch and his cross is easily gathered by the keeper.
23 Dec 202314.10 GMT79 mins: Ipswich fans’ minds will be focusing more on the massive Boxing Day set-to with Leicester now, I imagine, as well as perhaps grabbing a pint in Whitelocks or the Scarborough when they get back to Leeds city centre.
23 Dec 202314.08 GMT77 mins: Pass, pass, pass, pass, pass. Leeds going through the motions joyously now.
23 Dec 202314.06 GMT76 mins: I feel as if I’ve jinxed Ipswich here by praising them so effusively in my preamble. They can’t even touch the ball at the moment, as it’s all gone a bit 1971 v Southampton from a Leeds point of view.
23 Dec 202314.04 GMT73 mins: The corner is cleared but possession, momentum, territory and seasonal good cheer remain firmly with Leeds.
23 Dec 202314.03 GMT72 mins: Subs: Leeds win another corner but make some more subs with Kamara and the excellent Spence off for Firpo and Gruev.
23 Dec 202314.01 GMT69 mins: Off the bar again! Spence tees up Rutter after a long spell of Leeds possession and he thumps one off the crossbar from 12 yards.
An email from Timothy Smith: “Leeds fan in the USA stuck watching West Ham-MU. You were right it is DULL. MU in all white kit though, trying vainly to emulate the mighty Whites. I have news though, they are not scoring four goals today!”
23 Dec 202313.59 GMT68 mins: That flurry of subs was clearly made by McKenna with squad protection in mind, though only Brighton in the top four divisions have scored more through subs this season than Ipswich.
23 Dec 202313.58 GMT67 mins: Ipswich subs: Burns, Broadhead, Morsy and Hirst off for Ball, Harness, Jackson and Hutchinson.
Gray is OK to continue
23 Dec 202313.56 GMT65 mins: Some nice link-up play from Ipswich through Burns and Clarke again founders on the edge of the box and Leeds clear and break through Gray, who’s crudely upended and needs a bit of treatment.
Updated at 13.56 GMT23 Dec 202313.53 GMT62 mins: Summerville’s free-kick is forcefully headed clear by Tuanzebe, but Leeds continue to dominate territory. Morsy is perhaps lucky to avoid a booking for going in late on Summerville.
23 Dec 202313.51 GMT60 mins: Leeds sub: Gnonto comes on for the busy James, who is warmly applauded.
23 Dec 202313.51 GMT60 mins: Ipswich booking: Tuanzebe Leeds’ Ethan Ampadu is being serenaded to the tune of the 1984 Black Lace “classic” as their side continue to knock it about for fun. Summerville gets clear after a long ball and is hauled back by Tuanzebe, who sees yellow.
23 Dec 202313.48 GMT58 mins: If anything, Leeds have been even more in control since half-time but Ipswich finally get some sapce with Chaplin and Burns combining on the righ but when the ball’s played in to the box Struijk clears easily. And Leeds break through James
23 Dec 202313.47 GMT57 mins: Ipswich get some respite when the corner comes to nowt and a cross back in is overhit and goes out for a throw.
Updated at 13.47 GMT23 Dec 202313.46 GMT55 mins: Leeds nearly score again when Summerville then Piroe find space inside the area and Ipswich eventually scramble away for a corner.
23 Dec 202313.45 GMT54 mins: Elland Road’s having a bit of a party – they suspect this one’s in the bag now – and Marching Alltogether rings out round the ground. Ipswich can’t get going at all.
23 Dec 202313.44 GMTGoal! Leeds 4-0 Ipswich (Piroe 52)
Ipswich aren’t compromising on their passing game but just aren’t able to play it in dangerous areas and Leeds break again and score again, Rutter again the supplier after Gray started the counter, riding a couple of tackles before it’s worked to Piroe, just on the left centre of the area – and he belts it into the left hand corner.
Updated at 13.52 GMT23 Dec 202313.41 GMT50 mins: Rutter is putting a proper shift in though this time overruns the ball into touch after winning possession on halfway.
23 Dec 202313.40 GMT49 mins: Ipswich had only three touches inside the Leeds penalty area in the first half – extraordinary for a side such as them, and testament to Leeds’ industry.
23 Dec 202313.38 GMT47 mins: Off the bar from Leeds! Ipswich’s pasing game is again overwhelmed by Leeds pressing, and they break again. Rutter piles forward, feeds Piroe, who raps the bar from an angle.
46 mins: Resuming the same tone, Tuanzebe is closed down robustly and immediately by Summerville but he handballed in doing so.
23 Dec 202313.35 GMTPeep! And Ipswich get us back under way.
23 Dec 202313.34 GMTThe Ipswich players are back out on the pitch early, Leeds’s now follow them.
23 Dec 202313.33 GMTAnother plug, this time for Barney Ronay’s column on why Wrighty’s the right man to rename the London Overground after:
On other channels …
Goalless and drab, by the sounds, down in Stratford. Think we’ve got the better option here to be honest.
23 Dec 202313.23 GMTHalf-time reading: Leeds fans should enjoy this too, on Brian Deane and the last Christmas Eve Premier League goal.
Half-time: Leeds 3-0 Ipswich
And here ends a first half of dominance by Leeds. They’ve been magnificent, pressing hard, countering with menace and giving Ipswich barely a sniff. That 10-point gap between the teams looks deceptive here, and all grist to the mill for those who fear that last season’s three relegated teams and three promoted teams are simply going to swap places again this term. Good old parachute payments. Whatever, Daniel Farke’s side deserve to be well ahead, and Kieran McKenna has some thinking to do to find some bite in his side. See you in a bit.
Updated at 13.22 GMT23 Dec 202313.18 GMT45+2 mins: Ipswich look nervy in possession, which is so unlike them, and Rutter almost seizes on another loose pass but Hladky clears the danger
23 Dec 202313.17 GMTWe’ll have three additional minutes.
23 Dec 202313.16 GMTGoal! Leeds 3-0 Ipswich (Summerville 45pen)
Summerville sends an emphatic kick to the keeper’s right. The net billows. Game over? It was 4-3 last time …
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTEoKyaqpSerq96wqikaJ6fpMGjrculZqWhppp8c3yRbGadnZNkf3R7y56cnatdqruqwMSdZK9lmaXAuLXCoWStp6ejeqS0wKanoqeeqLWqvIyloK%2Bd