LEEDS: Celebrating scoring Manchester United’s fourth goal, Anthony Elanga held a finger to his lips. No way were the Leeds United fans being silenced, though.

No chance. Not when they’d waited 19 years to see their fiercest rivals at Elland Road in the Premier League, initially because of relegation and then pandemic curbs on fans.

Not when they’d already come back from two goals down by scoring twice in 24 seconds to wipe out United’s lead on Sunday.

Ultimately, though, the tide turned back in United’s favour to win a six-goal thriller on a drenched pitch. Second-half substitutes Fred and Elanga secured the 4-2 victory and kept United on course to stay in fourth place on 46 points, four behind Chelsea in third.

Leeds can’t yet escape the fear that their return to the Premier League after a 16-year exile will end after two seasons. Just five points separate Marcelo Bielsa’s side from the relegation zone.

In a red-hot atmosphere, United took the lead in the 34th minute, with captain Harry Maguire heading home to score his side’s first league goal from a corner all season.

As the rain became more torrential, United compounded the home side’s woes when Bruno Fernandes, who scored a hat-trick in the reverse fixture earlier this season, squeezed another header into the net in the first-half stoppage time.

Seemingly dead and buried, Leeds turned the match on its head with two goals in less than a minute early in the second to lift the roof off Elland Road.

Spanish forward Rodrigo’s cross managed to loop over United stopper David de Gea and into the net before Dan James squared for Leeds substitute Raphinha to level at the far post.

The visitors were the ones to get over the line, however, as Fred drilled home Jadon Sancho’s pass at the near post 20 minutes from time before Elanga settled the contest with a late fourth after Fernandes had robbed Pascal Struijk on the edge of his own box.

TITLE RACE BACK ON

On Saturday, Harry Kane’s dramatic double condemned leaders Manchester City to a damaging 3-2 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur as Mohamed Salah’s 150th Liverpool goal inspired a 3-1 win over Norwich City that ignited the title race.

City seemed to have salvaged a point when Riyad Mahrez fired home a penalty in stoppage time at the Etihad,, cancelling out Kane’s first goal, but Kane capped a superb display to head home a dramatic winner three minutes later.

Earlier, Dejan Kulusevski scored in the fourth minute before Ilkay Gundogan’s equaliser.

Chasers Liverpool had earlier been give a fright when they trailed struggling Norwich midway through the second half at Anfield. But goals by Sadio Mane, Salah and Luis Diaz allowed Juergen Klopp’s side to close the gap to six points at the top, and they also have a game in hand over City.

A week after becoming world club champions Chelsea got back to domestic duty with a 1-0 victory at Crystal Palace, with Hakim Ziyech scoring late on.

Arsenal moved into the hunt for the fourth and final Champions League place as Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka struck to see off Brentford 2-1 and move to 42 points, level with West Ham United and three ahead of Spurs.

It was a big day at the bottom as well with Burnley moving off the foot of the table with a 3-0 win at Brighton and Hove Albion, new signing Wout Weghorst scoring one and creating another.

Watford earned a first win under new manager Roy Hodgson, Emmanuel Dennis securing the 1-0 victory at Aston Villa.

Norwich are bottom on goal difference behind Burnley with both on 17 points, although Burnley have three games in hand. Watford are a point better off, four points behind Newcastle United.

Everton, only four points above the relegation zone, are nervously looking over their shoulders after they were beaten 2-0 at Southampton.

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2022