Leeds United survive Premier League relegation battle after dramatic win at Brentford

Leeds's dramatically late 2-1 against a Brentford side who finished the game with nine men proved to be enough when Burnley lost by the same scoreline at Newcastle United.

The Whites stayed up by three points, but it felt even tighter than that. Uncomfortably so.

It says much for the integrity of the Premier League that, as with the other issues decided on the final day, it remained stomach-churningly tight until Jack Harrison drilled the ball into the net in the fifth added minute.

Diego Llorente punched the turf with ecstasy, the Leeds bench - those not on crutches at least - ran onto the field, Joe Gelhardt and Sam Greenwood running all the way over to the far corner where the visiting players were celebrating with their ecstatic fans.

Before the game could restart, the final whistle had gone at Turf Moor.

At full-time there were plenty of pitch invaders, but all were Leeds employees. Owner Andrea Radrizzani came on too to join the party, as did director of football Victor Orta.

The inquests can wait, but a team which was ninth the previous season had sailed dangerously close to the wind, only to get away with it.

The nerves running through the Leeds players were obvious immediately. They lost Patrick Bamford to Covid-19 before they even left home.

When they played the kick-off back to Llorente, Ivan Toney closed him down for a corner which came to nothing.

Ilan Meslier and Liam Cooper ran into one another as the goalkeeper came out to clear and he almost spilt a ball Yoane Wissa hooked his way over the byline.

Kalvin Phillips, who played in a major final for England at Wembley 10 months ago, did his best to try and bring calm to proceedings, cleaning up nicely when Rodrigo's attempted chest control bounced into no man's land.

Even his passing was not always perfect, but he exuded the coolness Leeds needed.

Greenwood had surprisingly been chosen alongside him in a 4-2-3-1 formation but he soon moved in between Phillips and No 10 Rodrigo in a more Bielsa-style midfield to give his team-mate the chance to try and dictate as Brentford look for Christian Eriksen to.

Bit by bit under Jesse Marsch, Leeds have moved further towards a Bielsa formation. Greenwood was withdrawn again once his team went ahead.

A stretching Wissa shot wide at an Eriksen free-kick conceded by Junior Firpo after 13 minutes and almost immediately afterwards Cooper gave the ball to Bryan Mbuemo but Greenwood got back to head away.

There was a ripple of excitement in the away end as they realised Burnley had conceded a penalty at home to Newcastle and on the back of it Jack Harrison played Gelhardt through for a cool finish. But as Callum Wilson tucked away the Magpies' penalty, video assistant referee John Brooks was chalking off Gelhardt's goal.

Greenwood shot over for a second time, although at least on this occasion it did not go into orbit. Firpo and Vitaly Janelt would have similar efforts.

Late in the first half Brentford began to have their spell, Meslier forced to tip over from Mathuias Jensen after Mbeumo nutmegged Firpo at the byline before pulling the ball back and an Eriksen shot deflected wide off a team-mate.

Phillips was caught out in the 40th minute, a square ball allowing Wissa a shot Meslier dealt with comfortable. Mbeumo should have hit the target when Cooper over-ran the ball, but dragged wide.

Mbeumo had the first shot after the break too after a good move started by Wissa and Eriksen down the left, but it was at Meslier.

Leeds came to life in the 54th minute, Robin Koch helping Meslier's long ball on to Raphinha, who fed Rodrigo to shoot at the goalkeeper.

Two minutes later, though, they were given an even better chance to go in front, David Raya kicking straight at Raphinha, who was brought down.

Seemingly concerned the tension was not high enough, Raphinha ramped it up with a hop and a skip towards the ball before putting his side in front with a perfect penalty.

Soon after Newcastle scored a second goal. With Leeds lining up a free-kick right in front of their fans at the time, they could not possibly have been unaware.

Leeds tried to stick, bringing on Pascal Struijk for Gelhardt and going to a 4-3-3, and were helped when Kristoffer Ajer went off injured with all three Brentford substitutes on.

But Burnley pulled a goal back and more importantly so did Brentford, Sergi Cano finding far to much space to power a far-post header from Wissa's cross.

Canos was booked for his celebration, and again two minutes later for a foul on Raphinha.

Leeds realised they had to twist against the nine men and within minutes of coming on, Mateusz Klich had a couple of shots at goal.

Firpo played Harrison in to fizz a ball across but no one one got a touch and Raphinha curled over. Raya dropped onto a Rahpinha shot.

As the tension mounted, Harrison had a shot deflected but when the corner came out to him, he made sure with his next attempt to send a small corner of the Community Stadium into ecstasy.

Brentford: Raya; Ajer, Jansson, Sorensen (Baptiste 70), Henry (Canos 63); Jensen (Dasilva 58), Janelt, Eriksen; Mbeumo, Toney, Wissa.

Unused substitutes: Onyeka, Jeanvier, Roerslev, Stevens, Fernandez, Young-Coombes.

Leeds United: Meslier; Koch, Llorente, Cooper, Firpo; Phillips, Greenwood (Klich 85); Raphinha, Rodrigo, Harrison; Gelhardt (Struijk 70).

Unused substitutes: Roberts, Klaesson, Bate, Hjelde, Cresswell, Shackleton, Gray.

Referee: P Tierney (Wigan).