Jesse Masch’s Leeds United was held to a 1-1 draw at Elland Road by Ralph Hasenhuttl’s Southampton. Masch’s men were looking to make it 3 wins in a row on Saturday and it started well as Raphinha made Frazier Foster to make an early save to keep it scoreless and a few minutes later he saved a powerful effort from Daniel James. Jack Harrison put the whites 1 nil up within the first half an hour through some trickery on the side-line who then put a dangerous ball into the box where Harrison would put the ball into the net from close range. A few minutes after Leeds scored a huge chance for the saints to level the scoring came as Oriol Romeu played a very good ball into the path of Che Adams who turned into the box and fired a shot into the corner of the goal, but Meslier pulled off a stunning low one-handed save.
They took that lead into the break but didn’t keep hold of it long as a free kick was given outside of the Leeds United box who else but James Ward-Prowse to take it and he does what he always does and places it into the top corner keeping his name as a set piece specialist. Minutes later the away side could have got a second as youngster Tino Livramento found space on the wing and hit a low cross into the box, from which Armando Broja shot just wide of the post. Great News for Leeds fans followed as they got to see Kalvin Philips make his return and play the last 25 minutes of the game. As the clock ticked down and both teams made changes to try and get a winner, the game was end to end. Despite the best efforts of either side and five minutes of added time being shown, no further goals arrived though.
The point meant Leeds remained in 16th on 30 points, whilst Southampton moved up one spot to 11th on 36 points. Next up for Marsch’s side is an away trip to 18th placed Watford, next weekend and that will be a most win game as Leeds are still in a difficult position and relegation is still a possibility if teams around them turn their seasons around.
Louis Whittaker