Leeds United delivered a ruthless display at Elland Road to sweep aside Crystal Palace 4-1, easing their relegation fears and compounding a miserable spell for the visitors. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was once again the central figure, striking twice before the interval to continue a remarkable scoring run and put his side firmly in control.
Palace arrived in West Yorkshire already bruised by recent setbacks and were unable to cope with Leeds’ intensity from the outset. Daniel Farke’s side played with urgency and physical edge, pinning Palace back and repeatedly profiting from set-piece situations that exposed defensive uncertainty.
Calvert-Lewin opened the scoring by reacting quickest after his initial effort was blocked, turning in from close range following a long throw. His second came just before the break, as he anticipated another flick-on and steered a header beyond Dean Henderson at the back post, underlining his sharpness and confidence in the penalty area.
Any hopes of a response after half-time quickly faded. Palace struggled to gain control or win duels, and Leeds continued to apply pressure. That dominance told again shortly after the hour when a poorly dealt-with corner was recycled into the box and Ethan Ampadu slipped in to calmly add a third.
Leeds’ night was almost perfect, though a clean sheet again proved elusive. In stoppage time, Palace were handed a consolation from the penalty spot after Lucas Perri brought down Christantus Uche, allowing Justin Devenny to convert. There was still time for one final flourish, however, as Anton Stach rifled home an excellent free-kick with virtually the last action to complete an emphatic scoreline.
The result lifts Leeds six points clear of the bottom three and marks one of their most convincing performances since returning to the top flight. For Palace, it was another sobering evening, with defensive frailties and a lack of physical presence laid bare during a demanding period of fixtures.
Calvert-Lewin’s resurgence continues to gather momentum, while Leeds’ blend of organisation, aggression and set-piece threat made this a night to remember for the home supporters — and one Crystal Palace will be keen to forget.
