As Premier League returns go, Leeds United’s 2020/21 top-flight campaign was an undoubted success.
Not only did they comfortably survive in their first term back at the top table for 16 years, but they actually claimed ninth place – finishing with a flourish after an impressive late run.
In fact, the club surpassed all expectations in its first season back — attaining the highest points tally for a newly-promoted side since Ipswich Town in 2001 — amassing a total of 59 to finish above the likes of Everton and Aston Villa.
Along the way, in fact from the very first day to the last day of the season, the side produced Premier League 2021 highlights – a number of which this SBOTOP correspondent witnessed.
Here are the leading five as far as yours truly is concerned.
Leeds United 4-3 Fulham (September 19, 2020)
An opening day 4-3 defeat at Liverpool was described by BBC Sport journalist Phil McNulty as “magnificently chaotic”, adding that “the defending from both sides was dreadful”.
Of course, opening day can often throw up unusual results so not too much was read into the events at Anfield.
But when the newly-promoted Yorkshire men produced an identical result a week later — albeit this time with the score in their favour — it was clear Marcelo Bielsa and co. were here to entertain.
Two games in, they’ve had seven goals scored and seven goals conceded, and no wonder Leeds are Premier League box office!
That’s how I summed up the clash of the newly-promoted sides as the first top-flight game at Elland Road since 2004 delivered yet another seven-goal thriller. And so the scene was set.
Leeds United 1-1 Manchester City (October 3, 2020)
After going behind to Manchester City, Leeds equalised in the second half with a 59th-minute goal from club record signing Rodrigo — which was his first for the club — and that was how it stayed.
Any observer scanning the details of an unremarkable 1-1 draw might be confused and wonder why this is on the list.
It was tactical mastery and it was breathless and wonderfully reckless. It was like a lab experiment that no one could predict the result of.
At the final whistle, a rain-sodden Bielsa remained on his haunches with his head bowed and exhausted, limp and lifeless from the wildest of emotional journeys.
That is until his opposite number Pep Guardiola arrived and they embraced in mutual respect.
Leeds United 1-0 Burnley (December 27, 2020)
A week after they were on the receiving end of a 6-2 pummeling at traditional foes Manchester United, Leeds needed to bounce back quickly.
Following criticism, Bielsa defended his style of play and announced he would not change, yet this hard-fought victory did show another side to their game and outlined they could also engage in a war of attrition when required.
A fifth-minute lead was secured when Patrick Bamford was fouled in the box and then converted the resulting spot-kick for the only goal of the match despite second half pressure from 16th-placed Burnley.
As uninspiring as it may have been, it was an important a message to deliver to anyone who thought that their Old Trafford hammering could spark a crumble in the second half of the campaign.
Manchester City 1-2 Leeds United (April 10, 2021)
Yes, City had all but sewn up the Premier League title and had one eye on their forthcoming Champions League quarter-final, but Leeds didn’t care after completing a true smash and grab.
When they mustered their first effort on target after a lengthy 41 minutes, it was actually the longest they had waited for a shot in a top-flight match all season.
Of course they only went and scored it which meant that, after being under the cosh against the champions elect, Bielsa’s men had a surprise lead at the Etihad Stadium.
When just minutes later, Leeds captain Liam Cooper went in high on Gabriel Jesus and, following an initial yellow card, VAR intervened and the skipper was dismissed.
It would have taken an even braver man to assess the Premier League 2021 betting odds and tip the visitors to preserve their lead.
Yet after being pegged back, Stuart Dallas pounced again at the death to seal a 2-1 win which sent Leeds fans into pandemonium.
Leeds United 3-1 Tottenham (May 8, 2021)
Leeds’ penultimate home game of the campaign is a result which showed how strongly they were finishing the season against opponents who still harboured European hopes.
After Heung-Min Son cancelled out Stuart Dallas’ opener, the onus was on the North Londoners to go and gain all three points.
Instead, Leeds United rode their luck as Tottenham hit the woodwork twice and Bamford and Rodrigo found the net to secure the points.
The club’s progress was highlighted further by the fact that Bamford had become just the fourth Englishman to score 15+ goals for Leeds in a single Premier League campaign after Lee Chapman (15 in 1992-93), Rod Wallace (17 in 1993-94), and Michael Bridges (19 in 1999-00).
Patrick Bamford was in good company indeed.
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