Leeds United netted three late goals to orchestrate an impressive comeback, clinching their ninth consecutive league victory at the expense of Championship leaders Leicester.
Leicester appeared poised for victory until substitute Connor Roberts leveled the score in the 80th minute, and moments later, teenager Archie Gray ignited pandemonium with a deflected strike that beat Mads Hermansen at his near post.
As Leicester began to lose their composure, Dan James’ 20-yard free-kick in stoppage time ricocheted off Patrick Bamford and into the net, propelling second-placed Leeds to within six points of Leicester.
In an electrifying encounter at Elland Road, the visitors initially took a deserved lead when Wout Faes, who had the final touch on Gray’s strike, headed in unmarked from a corner.
Enzo Maresca’s side began the second half strongly, with Stephy Mavididi forcing a good save from Illan Meslier in the Leeds goal. Later, Patson Daka had a goal incorrectly disallowed for offside after Jannik Vestergaard’s header rebounded off the crossbar.
Daka was onside when Vestergaard made contact with the ball, and Leeds’ Georginio Rutter inadvertently redirected the rebound into Daka’s path before he fired it into the net.
The Zambian striker squandered a golden opportunity to make it 2-0 when he shot wide after being played in on goal, a miss that ultimately proved costly as the Foxes suffered a second consecutive defeat.
Leeds breathe new life into title race
Leeds preserved their unbeaten home record for the season with this improbable comeback, reigniting their aspirations of challenging Leicester for the Championship title as both clubs seek immediate returns to the Premier League.
Manager Daniel Farke cautioned his team against being excessively motivated for the match, while Leicester’s Maresca emphasized its significance for Leeds given their considerable distance behind Leicester in the standings.
Early in the game, Joel Piroe squandered a promising opportunity to give Leeds the lead before the visitors gradually gained momentum and scored first.
Faes became only the second player to breach Leeds’ defense in the league in 2024 when he headed in a flick-on from Daka following Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s corner.
Both teams had chances in a lively first half. Piroe narrowly missed with a header shortly after Faes’ goal, while Vestergaard executed a perfectly timed tackle to thwart the energetic Summerville.
Leeds struggled to find rhythm after halftime, and both Daka and Mavididi missed clear-cut opportunities on the counterattack before Farke’s side staged an astonishing turnaround seemingly out of nowhere.
First, loanee Roberts scored with a powerful strike after Vestergaard failed to intercept a low cross from Rutter.
Three minutes later, the score was 2-1, though it remains uncertain if 17-year-old Gray scored his first senior goal as his shot deflected off Faes on its way in.
Gray, the great-nephew of Whites legend Eddie Gray, continues the family legacy as the third generation to don the Leeds jersey. His father, Andy, was an unused substitute during Leeds’ last victory over the Foxes at home in November 2012.
In the dying moments, another fortunate deflection off Bamford from James’ strike secured Leeds’ 2,000th win in their 104-year history, leaving Leicester stunned at a charged Elland Road.
Next on Leeds’ agenda is a visit to old rivals Chelsea in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Wednesday, followed by an away fixture against struggling neighbors Huddersfield next Saturday, as they strive for a club-record 10th consecutive league victory.
Meanwhile, Leicester faces Premier League opposition in the cup as they travel to Bournemouth on Tuesday, before hosting lowly QPR at home on Saturday.
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke told BBC Radio Leeds:
“A great evening for everyone connected to Leeds United. There are many record-breaking statistics but the feeling is more important.
“You could feel how much it meant to everyone. I’m happy for our supporters to enjoy these moments with our fans.
“We created the better chances in the first half and I think they were a bit lucky to be in the lead at the break and then we were a bit lucky not to be 2-0 down after that because they had chances on the counter-attack.
“We fought our way back into it in the last 15-20 minutes. They were all goals of will and fighting spirit.
“It was a tight game but overall when I judge the full 90 minutes I think it was a deserved win.”
Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca told BBC Radio Leicester:
“It’s a big shame but the way we performed was very good. For 80 minutes we controlled and dominated the game. We created many, many chances and football is about taking chances.
“It was so clear that there was only one team trying to win the game, dominate and create chances. Unfortunately, for the last 10 minutes the dynamic changed.
“It could have been a totally different game – not only for that [disallowed] goal, but we had many more chances to score a second.
“I always said the race was very long. I never thought of winning the league by 10 or 15 points. At the end, the difference will be very tiny. We need to focus on the 12 games we have and try to win as many as we can.”