Leeds 4 – 1 Newcastle

Leeds United maintained their unbeaten start to the Premier League season with a breathless 4-1 win over Newcastle.

Both teams went into the game with five points on the board from their first three games, but Matthias Jaissle’s bubble was decisively burst as he suffered a dramatic first defeat as Newcastle manager.

Without the electric Anthony Elanga, the visitors offered much less of a threat and could not cope with the home side’s relentless pressing, led by the imperious Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Leeds felt slighted when Matias Fernandez-Pardo, making his first start for his new club, avoided punishment for a ‘handball’ inside the penalty area. This was quickly forgotten as the hosts’ dominance was quickly given away.

There was an element of luck to their first as Ao Tanaka’s shot deflected off two Newcastle defenders with the final touch coming from Lewis Miley to wrong-foot Lukas Hornicek.

This then led to the real start of the Calvert-Lewin show. The forward thought he had his eighth career goal against the Magpies with a header three minutes later. However, replays showed that the ball had come last from team-mate Jayden Bogle, meaning he had to settle for the assist.

The Leeds No 9 was not to be denied his next goal, charging into the penalty area before calmly slotting home a third before the break.

The floodgates were wide open after halftime, with Noah Okafor adding a fourth – and the pick of the bunch. The striker made a nice weak-footed volley on the bounce, sending it darting into the bottom corner.

Bazoumana Toure grabbed a late consolation but did little to take the shine off a thoroughly one-sided display. The result leaves Leeds in third place at the end of the fourth round of fixtures – their highest position at this stage of a season since 2000/01.

Highlights from Elland Road

2: NO SITUATION! Fernandez-Pardo avoids conceding the spot-kick for allegedly ‘handballing’.

14: SAVE IT! Hornicek makes a top drawer save from close range to deny Bogle.

25: SAVE IT! Bogle threatens again as he stings the palms of Hornicek with a wild attempt.

32: GOAL! Tanaka’s deflected shot comes after TWO Newcastle players before beating Hornicek.

35: GOAL! Two on three minutes when Bogle gets the final touch from Calvert-Lewin’s header.

41: SAVE IT! Newcastle’s best chance of the half as Barnes was denied from close range.

45+1: GOAL! Calvert-Lewin cannot be stopped as he finally achieves his goal.

59: GOAL! Okafor gets in on the action with stunning jump shots.

89: GOAL! No clean sheet for Leeds as Toure scores a late consolation.

Farke hails ‘outstanding’ Calvert-Lewin

Leeds HEAD Daniel Farke speaking to Sky Sports:

“I wasn’t happy that we let them score a goal. But it doesn’t take anything away from the fact that my boys were brilliant and we thoroughly deserved to win the game. There’s no such thing as a perfect performance though, and that’s one of the rare points I have to criticize.

“We have energy, quality, good structure in and out of possession. We also have a good level of fitness. It’s not just will, otherwise whoever had strong will would always win the game. We have to have the right pushers and everyone has to be in place. It’s a lot of work on the training ground to be so compact and intense.

For Dominic Calvert-Lewin:

“He is in incredible form and playing with a lot of confidence. I expect him to lead the group and he has taken the responsibility.

“His work rate is high. It’s not just scoring goals. The way he plays for us is outstanding. He’s definitely one of the standout strikers in the league.”

Jaissle: We didn’t face Leeds physically

Newcastle HEAD Matthias Jaissle speaking to Sky Sports:

“This is the Premier League. It was clear from the start and I’ve said it many times that we will have ups and downs and challenges along the way. Tonight, we met that challenge. It’s really difficult. Hard to digest, but this is a chance to learn because there’s not much time until the next home game to show the right reaction.

“You have to bring the basics on the pitch against a physical, strong team. Leeds are so intense, especially at home and we couldn’t cope with that physicality in the first half. That was a key element. There are no excuses, we have to learn from it.

“Injuries are also a challenge that we have to overcome and we will. That is the message I have given to the players. There will be no problem with confidence.”

Carragher: Newcastle were beaten

Jamie Carragher Monday Night Football:

“Leeds are fifth in the Premier League table since December. That should make Newcastle feel better as it’s been a bad night for them with the world watching. They’ve been beaten by a really good Premier League team.

“It’s going to be a tough season at times for Newcastle with the manager and the new players finding their feet in the Premier League. They just got beaten.”

ACTIvE Dominic Calvert-Lewin:

“Calvert-Lewin was unplayable. One of the greatest sights in football is to see a centre-forward rise above everyone and attack the ball.

“Look how high his feet are. I don’t think there is a better player in the air in the Premier League.”

Big learning curve for Jaissle

Sky Sports News’ Keith Downie in X:

“It should be a big learning curve for Newcastle tonight. Looking at the team sheet for that opener against Liverpool, with a midfield two and Yoane Wissa at No.10, it looked like they were going to be beaten.

“They didn’t. Maybe it was the excitement of the Kevin Keegan tributes, maybe it was the opening game, or maybe it was Alexander Isak’s motivation. There was a lot going on that day.

“But Leeds away on Monday night, you need physicality and runners. Even a midfield three of Bruno Guimaraes-Sandro Tonali-Joelinton would make it a tough game tonight.

“Newcastle were bullied by Leeds’ physicality and numerical advantage in the engine room.

“It’s been a long season and it’s been a very good start, but this is a real eye-opener for the new Newcastle manager.”

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