Leeds United 5 Newcastle United 2 - Whites feast on chances in Elland Road goals blitz

Sometimes, in the depths of winter, a plain, simple meal can be just as nourishing. Or so the theory went before kick off.

When Leeds supporters would have gladly taken a functional, back-to-basics victory after a couple of rough results and defensive performances, Bielsa’s side stuck to what they know best and delivered a sumptuous feast instead.

Given his longevity in the game, the Argentine is not the sort to compromise and when you have attacking talents of the quality of Rodrigo and Raphinha, it is all about playing to your strengths and focusing on what you have got and not what you do not.

Yes, Leeds conceded two goals on a night which was not picture-perfect, but the real story was elsewhere.

It was about searing, scintillating breaks of the finest order which yielded some brilliant, beguiling second-half goals and not about discussing ailments at set-plays as Newcastle imploded late on and conceded three times in the final 13 minutes.

Two arrived at the death to take the game away from Newcastle as they were hopelessly stranded upfield.

A flowing break involving Raphinha – who did everything but score – and substitute Pablo Hernandez was finished by Gjanni Alioski after a lightning raid that was pure ‘Bielsaball’.

The best was yet to come with Jack Harrison’s scorching drive being a thing of beauty.

A fantastic header at full-stretch by Rodrigo to put Leeds 2-1 in front from Harrison’s inch-perfect cross was also a stunner.

Newcastle briefly threatened to spoil the party with a second leveller, scored by Ciaran Clark, but this was emphatically Leeds’s night as they produced the ruthlessness that has been missing from their high-order attacking play for much of this season.

This was the quintessential clash of styles between a side positioned in the top five for touches and passes in the Premier League in Leeds against a rival placed in the bottom two in each category.

It saw a side who put a premium on ball retention pitted against another who won with just 27 per cent of possession on their last visit to Yorkshire at Bramall Lane last December.

Here, Leeds boasted 69 per cent possession and found a clinical edge to match, finally

Leeds produced 14 attempts in the first half, but scored just once, with Patrick Bamford tucking home the rebound after Rodrigo’s looping header hit the bar from Raphinha’s cross.

It cancelled out Newcastle’s opener through Jeff Hendrick, who cashed in on defensive sloppiness.

The 1-1 interval scoreline was not a barometer of Leeds’s dominance. But how they changed the narrative on the resumption.

They produced 11 goal attempts and struck four times.

The elan, movement and wit periodically shown by Rodrigo and Raphinha was a joy from the off, with the pair quickly looking like they had the number of several Newcastle opponents.

The pair combined beautifully for a home leveller when Raphinha’s quality delivery was met by Rodrigo, whose looping header struck the bar with Bamford on hand to tuck away the rebound.

Leeds’s verve deserved more, but would go in at level after an indiscretion on 26 minutes.

Rodrigo’s casualness was seized upon by the Magpies with the ball finding its way to Ryan Fraser, afforded too much space by Mateusz Klich with his cross flicked on by Callum Wilson, with Hendrick ghosting past Alioski at the back post to slot home.

Fraser had fired a warning just before that when Meslier turned away his low curler, but other than that, Leeds were characteristically incessant in some of their attacking work.

Much had been made of their susceptibility from set-plays, but the first opportunity from a corner arrived for Leeds with Liam Cooper’s point-blank header turned away by Karl Darlow, who also did well to block Raphinha.

Darlow was also indebted to some wayward shooting from Leeds, with their approach play graceful, but the aim off beam.

In the final half-hour, Leeds were simply deadly.

Rodrigo’s immaculate header to crown an outstanding display started the party, only for the lights to temporary dim when Newcastle – thwarted moments earlier when Meslier denied Wilson – added to Leeds’s litany of set-play concessions when Clark headed home Fraser’s corner.

Stuart Dallas – such an unsung hero for Leeds – was on hand to head in Klich’s cross to put Leeds back in front and then the fun truly began.

Leeds: Meslier; Dallas, Ayling, Cooper, Alioski; Phillips, Raphinha, Klich (Shackleton 89), Harrison, Rodrigo (Hernandez 82), Bamford (Roberts 84). Substitutes unused: Casilla, Poveda, Struijk, Davis.

Newcastle: Darlow; Murphy, Fernandez, Clark, Lewis, Hendrick (Krafth 62), Hayden, S Longstaff, Fraser (Almiron 75), Joelinton (Gayle 74), Wilson. Substitutes unused: Gillespie, Carroll, Shelvey, Ritchie.

Referee: S Hooper (Wiltshire).

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