Leeds United 2-0 Queens Park Rangers: Tyler Roberts & Jack Harrison send Whites top
- Published
Tyler Roberts scored his first Leeds United goal since October 2018
Leeds United returned to the summit of the Championship table with a hard-fought home victory over Queens Park Rangers.
Tyler Roberts put the hosts in front before half-time, slotting in from the edge of the box after being teed up by Jack Harrison.
Harrison then capitalised on a mix-up in the QPR back line to fire home and make the game safe in the final 10 minutes.
Marcelo Bielsa's men are top of the league on goal difference, although Preston North End and West Bromwich Albion could both go back above them with wins during the next 48 hours.
The Lilywhites, who have rejected an approach from Stoke City for manager Alex Neil, face Charlton Athletic on Sunday, before Albion play the managerless Potters on Monday.
Despite controlling the match for long periods, Leeds were again left nurturing a slender one-goal advantage until Harrison eventually ended the contest with his first goal since the opening weekend of the season.
His strike also meant the Whites scored more than once in a home game for the first time in 2019-20, having now mustered just 19 in 15 league matches - the joint fewest in the top half of the table.
Mateusz Klich volleyed over and Patrick Bamford was denied by a last-ditch challenge from QPR debutant Lee Wallace even before Roberts netted on his first start of the season.
Bamford, who has not scored since 24 August, had a goal ruled out for offside after the break and missed a further chance from six yards out.
The result consigned Rangers to a second consecutive defeat and left Mark Warburton's side ninth.
Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa said:
"We were calm and if we win by one goal and you have five minutes left, then everybody is nervous in the stadium.
"So we hope that match to match we don't have more of this feeling.
"And we try to pass this kind of match where we are winning 1-0, more relaxed."
QPR manager Mark Warburton said:
"It's a tough place to come and Leeds are a very talented team.
"We probably didn't create enough in the first half. In the second half we started well and at 1-0 with 20 minutes to go we had a big, big chance.
"They're the fine margins at this level. We didn't quite have that belief to really go and get something out of the game."
