Leeds paid the worth for wasteful ending as gritty Aston Villa snatched an unlikely 2-1 Premier League win.
Leon Bailey’s early aim and Emi Buendia’s header grabbed the factors, Patrick Bamford netting a late comfort, because the hosts rode their luck at Villa Park.
Emi Martinez brilliantly denied Jack Harrison and Wilfried Gnonto whereas Rodrigo had a shot cleared off the road and a aim disallowed for offside. But Villa held on, scoring at important occasions, to go away Leeds questioning how they left empty handed.
The hosts recovered from their embarrassing FA Cup exit to Stevenage, which had taken the gloss off what has been a constructive begin to Unai Emery’s reign.
They wanted a efficiency and end result to banish any hangover, particularly following final week’s underwhelming derby draw with Wolves.
They received a end result, if not a stellar show, and survived earlier than Buendia’s second-half clincher.
For Leeds, having averted an FA Cup upset at Cardiff, any early-season optimism has disappeared to get replaced by anxiousness.
Just two league wins since August has left them teetering on the sting of one other relegation battle in a congested backside half. Defeat on Friday prolonged their winless run to seven in all competitions.
Boss Jesse Marsch had already admitted he hates the stress which comes with the job, relatively than the job itself, and he would have been forgiven for any indignant outbursts after falling behind simply three minutes in.
Leeds compelled a nook, which Villa solely simply managed to clear, however from the break Boubacar Kamara ran unchallenged.
The midfielder superior in direction of the guests’ space and slipped in Bailey on the proper for the winger to chop inside and discover the nook.
It was some redemption for Bailey – his choice prone to have been questioned by many at Villa Park – who left the pitch in tears after lacking a last-gasp open aim in opposition to Wolves final week earlier than a wasteful show within the FA Cup.
Villa misplaced Lucas Digne to a shoulder damage quickly after, permitting Alex Moreno to make an earlier-than-expected debut, and Leeds responded properly however when Rodrigo threatened Douglas Luiz snuffed it out.
A neat free-kick then allowed Rodrigo to flee, solely to be denied by Martinez and Harrison scuffed the rebound in opposition to the publish.
Leeds remained the aggressors with Rodrigo a relentless menace and the striker was denied a leveller by Moreno 4 minutes earlier than the break.
The full-back initially performed him onside as he dashed onto Harrison’s throughball to spherical Martinez however Moreno recovered to clear his goalbound shot behind.
Villa had been rocking and when Luke Ayling knocked the ball throughout for Harrison he appeared sure to attain however Martinez produced a superb block earlier than Young deflected Gnonto’s observe up over.
Seconds later Rodrigo swept in from on the ground, just for a belated offside flag to curtail Leeds’ celebrations.
Half-time spared Villa additional. An early opener apart they’d been overrun and Leeds rediscovered their stride rapidly after the break, Young turning Brenden Aaronson’s shot over following Tyrone Mings’ slip.
Martinez was then wanted to palm Gnonto’s curling effort away earlier than Villa briefly threatened when Douglas Luiz fired over.
A leveller solely appeared a matter of time however it was Villa who doubled their lead after 64 minutes.
Bailey minimize from the proper and his fierce drive was parried by Illan Meslier and it fell for Buendia to nod within the rebound, regardless of Meslier’s finest efforts. The flag instantly went up however VAR got here to Villa’s rescue.
Danny Ings may have made it 3-0 however was denied by Meslier earlier than Bamford pulled a aim again with eight minutes left.
Gnonto left Young in a heap to dart into the realm, bamboozle Morgan Sanson to tee up the striker to comb in.
