Leeds United’s long march is almost over. Aided by a vastly superior goal difference, Daniel Farke’s side may yet require a maximum of one more point to rubber-stamp promotion but, depending on the outcome in theevening kick-off at Turf Moor, could be back in the Premier League as soon as Easter Monday night.
Not even heavy rain and a marked dip in the Easter temperature could dampen the euphoria inside Elland Road as Joel Piroe registered a hat-trick in the first 20 minutes. By half-time Farke’s key striker had scored four times.
Admittedly soaring optimism was tempered a little at full time by the realisation that, should Sheffield United win at Burnley, the celebrations would have to be delayed until Friday night – when Chris Wilder’s team visit Stoke – or possibly the game with Bristol City at Elland Road next Monday. But no one in West Yorkshire seriously doubts that Leeds are marching out of theChampionship.
The last lap of that that always gruelling, and sometimes downright painful journey, started with a neat first time finish following Piroe’s connection with Manor Solomon’s flick and then, cued up by Jayden Bogle, the Dutchman found time to switch the ball from his left to right foot before, once again, shooting low beyond Viktor Johansson.
Only eight minutes had passed and Leeds fans needed to wait another 12 before Piroe used his left foot to lash the ball into the roof of the net from close range after Johansson could merely parry Wilfried’s Gnonto’s sliced shot.
Piroe has his critics in West Yorkshire and there had been a bit of a clamour for Patrick Bamford to start in the central striking role but the doubters were being thoroughly confounded.
Much the same could be said of Stoke’s defence. That department looked in acute danger of melting in the manner of an overheated chocolate Easter egg whenever Leeds crossed the halfway line. It came as no surprise when Junior Firpo turned the fourth goal over the line after connecting with Bogle’s cross.
By now the chants of “Leeds are going up” were so loud it was possible to imagine the echoes resounding on the other side of the Pennines. That decibel count only increased as Bogle’s angled shot hit a post and then Piroe’s bundled close range finish lifted his seasonal goal tally to 19.
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If it was most definitely Piroe’s party, Stoke were extremely unwilling guests. If slips were always possible on the slick, wet playing surface, Mark Robins’s players frequently looked so off balance they might have been playing on sheet ice.
Stoke’s stability improved slightly following a flurry of substitutions and a switch to five at the back but was soon undermined further as Gnonto met Solomon’s fine cross and headed the sixth goal.
If the sight of Piroe being substituted might normally have offered Robins reason for relief the sight of Bamford running to replace him and Ao Tanaka continuing to dictate central midfield can hardly have prompted reassurance.