Leeds demolish Derby as Marcelo Bielsa wins touchline battle with Frank Lampard

Posted Sunday, August 12, 2018 by PA

Leeds gatecrashed Frank Lampard’s party with a powerful attacking display that swept Derby aside 4-1 at Pride Park.

Lampard’s first home game in charge of the Rams was a sobering one as his team were outplayed by the team managed by Marcelo Bielsa.

A double from Kemar Roofe and goals from Mateusz Klich and Ezgjan Alioski gave Leeds a second victory of the Sky Bet Championship season.

Tom Lawrence’s free-kick briefly brought Derby level but Leeds dominated midfield and could have scored more.

Derby brought in Martyn Waghorn and the £5million signing from Ipswich had a chance in the fourth minute but scuffed his shot and Mason Mount could not convert the rebound.

Leeds took advantage by breaking quickly and Samuel Saiz played the ball to Klich who fired a 25-yard shot past Scott Carson and into the bottom left corner.

It was a superb strike but Derby were level in the 12th minute when Lawrence sent a free-kick from just outside the box over the wall and through the hands of Bailey Peacock-Farrell who should have done better.

Both teams were playing at a high tempo and Leeds went back in front in the 21st minute when Alioski whipped in a cross from the left and Roofe got between Fikayo Tomori and Max Lowe to head past Carson.

The pace of Leeds was causing Derby problems and they were almost in again in the 28th minute when Saiz powered through the middle, but his 20-yard shot was straight at Carson.

Saiz was involved in the 36th minute when he put Pablo Hernandez in, but a poor first touch allowed Tomori to get back and run the ball out of play.

Derby had a decent five-minute spell when Leeds looked less than secure at the back, but the West Yorkshire side weathered it and ended the first half as they started it, on the front foot.

Lampard made a change, bringing on Bradley Johnson for Joe Ledley, and Derby opened Leeds up in the 47th minute but Mount dragged his shot wide with Waghorn just failing to connect.

Lawrence got in a cross that hit Craig Bryson and went behind but Leeds almost scored a third in the 56th minute when Saiz found Roofe. Carson made a great save and Tomori blocked the rebound.

But Roofe struck again on the hour when he spun onto Klich’s pass and drove a left-footed shot past Carson from 12 yards, and Leeds made it 4-1 in the 64th minute.

Hernandez made a great run to pull the ball back from the right for Alioski to head past Carson, and Saiz should have had a fifth for the visitors but miskicked with the goal at his mercy.