Take Us Home: Leeds United (2019–…): Season 1, Episode 2 - Fighting Spirit - full transcript

There is a massive expectation
for this city.

We want to be back
to the Premier League.

We've played amazing so far
and I think we're going to win the league.

Fifteen years we have been waiting

so hopefully this is the team
that are going to put us back up there.

Leeds! Leeds! Leeds!

This season? We're going to get
to the Premiership. Of course.

We're going to do it. We've got to.

The best chance we've had in years,
mate. Best chance. We've got to.

I think we'll do it.
Come on Leeds. Come on!

Programmes!



Can't see us losing for the rest
of the year, to be honest.

Come on, Leeds!

If we go to the Premier League,
I'll run bollock naked down this street.

It will be cold, that's all I'm saying.

Leeds United are blazing a trail
in the English Championship.

We are Leeds We are Leeds!

Up between them goes Roofe.
Oh, that's an imperious header.

After eight games,
they are top of the table and undefeated.

Seeing that football was brilliant.

We just, like, ripped them to bits.

There is new-found belief
on the pitch and on the terraces.

Key to Leeds'
brilliant start to the season

is the performance
of striker Kemar Roofe.

His form was rewarded with the first
Championship Player of the Month award.



It's all stemmed from our pre-season.

It's been the best pre-season
I've had so far, the hardest,

and the style of play
that Marcelo is giving us.

Every day he is educating us
on our style of play with the ball,

without the ball.

He is a player that has taken great care

of returning in his best form.

- How are you doing?
- Yeah, all right. How about yourself?

Decent month, eh?

Six more months and we'll be right!

I know, exactly.
I've got to keep it up now.

Keep it up.

A proper family man, really.

When it comes to his missus
and his kids and his dogs.

He's not your typical footballer.

He works really, really hard,
so we were delighted for his success

but not surprised
because there were signs of it last year

and then this summer
he just took advantage

of what Marcelo
was trying to get into them.

You look at his physique now
compared to the end of last year

and he's a different build.

If we get promoted
it's going to be unbelievable.

The club itself is massive.

People tell me it's a big club.
Yes, it is,

but you don't actually realise it
until you are in the moment.

So, I could just go anywhere
in the country, even in the world,

I'd go somewhere
and there's always a Leeds fan

that will come up to me
and say hello and talk to me.

And, for me, just getting used to that,
it's unreal, it's mental.

Imagine if we get into the Premier League?

As the season progresses
into the autumn months,

Leeds remain top of the Championship.

The team continue to show off
their dazzling, high-energy football,

the signature style
of head coach Marcelo Bielsa.

Next up is a tricky away game
at local rivals Sheffield Wednesday.

It's going to fall to Klich. He tries one.
Oh, it's the equaliser.

One-one, Mateusz Klich once again.

He's banging them in
from all over the park

as Leeds refuse to back down.

One week later, league leaders Leeds

have another tough game
against top-six side Brentford.

It's a spikey affair.

Leeds midfielder Gianni Alioski
has an altercation

with the Brentford bench
whilst trying to retrieve the ball.

And with only two minutes
left on the clock

Leeds are trailing one goal to nil.

But Leeds are also showing off a trait

that is the signature
of their glory years:

a never-say-die fighting spirit.

Alioski delivers.

Up goes Jansson... and there it is!

Once again, Leeds United leave it late
but they have gone and secured a point.

Look what it means to the fans,

look what it means to the board
and looks what it means to Bielsa.

And that fighting spirit is evident
off the pitch as well as on it.

An incensed Victor Orta,
Leeds' director of football,

is convinced a Brentford player
dived in order to win a penalty.

Respect the shirt!

Look at the TV! Look at the TV! Dive!

Dive, look at the TV!

Early November
and Leeds sit at the top of the table.

Look at that, seven or eight
white shirts hunting in a pack.

Marcelo Bielsa's demanding,
high-intensity style,

the Bielsa Press,

continues to enthral
fans and pundits alike.

I used to be an avid
Football Manager player,

so I used to download all the tactics.

There was always a tactic you could
download called the Bielsa press.

I thought, "What is a Bielsa?"

As soon as Leeds got linked with him,
I had an idea of what it was all about.

It's just that interlinking player,
the press...

Yeah, the speed...

- ...attacking. Speed, yeah.
- It's fitness, isn't it?

Fitness is a massive part.

Just seeing the players all over the
pitch, the different runs they make.

- The passing and moving.
- Positioning.

You see it all and you think,
"Leeds don't play like this.

Where have they learned
to do this so quickly?"

It's incredible,
the way he improves players.

Playing from the back,
from the goalkeeper.

Everyone moving all the time.

No one stops for one second of the game.

From day one he said, "If you don't accept
what we are going to do,

leave, find something else."

All the players who are still with us now,
they accepted it from day one.

Marcelo Bielsa is considered
one of the most influential coaches

of all time by football experts.

He is only a few months
into his reign at Leeds United

but is already adored
by their demanding fans.

I've heard so many stories
that are just completely crackers.

He signed Pochettino as a kid

and went to his house
at two o'clock in the morning

to check his legs
before he signed him... and that is true.

So, if that's true about him,
you'll believe anything.

One group of Leeds fans

have turned
their regular football podcast

into a celebration of Marcelo Bielsa.

We just started writing...

writing football songs, basically.

And obviously I had the idea
for the "Bielsa Rhapsody".

I was lying in bed one day
and I was like,

"Open your eyes, look up to the skies,
we're Leeds."

And that was it and off I went.

It went online and...

I was doing interviews in Norway,
in Argentina and Brazil.

People were contacting me
from all over the world because of Bielsa.

I think Bielsa
has got this magnetism around him

that probably can't be true in real life.

I hope I never meet him because
at the minute, he's up there for me.

I love the guy. I'm obsessed.
I think about him every day.

Not a single day has gone by that I
haven't thought about Marcelo Bielsa.

He's brought some pride back,
hasn't he, Michael?

He has. He's brought hope.
And it's the hope that kills you.

Marching on together

Bielsa has brought hope
back to Leeds United,

but critics have suggested
his demanding high-press style

can make players burn out
as the season progresses.

Many of their star players
have picked up injuries

in the opening months of the season,

including no-nonsense defender
Gaetano Berardi.

It's not easy to play in this way.
You can see the injuries.

You can see some strange,
bad situations during the season.

But, it's our way to play.

It's what Marcelo wants

and we can see the results,
so we just need to keep going.

Big summer signing,
striker Patrick Bamford,

has a long-term knee injury.

...when you step outside.

- It's just literally the bending.
- The sprints?

It's the only thing, I can't fully sprint.

Defender Pontus Jansson
is also a regular in the treatment room.

And fellow defender, Luke Ayling,
has an ankle and knee injury, too.

- Nice to meet you. It's Luke, isn't it?
- Yeah, Luke, yeah.

Can I have a look at this ankle
and maybe have a quick look

- at your knee as well?
- Yeah, right ankle, right knee so...

- Have you had these injections before?
- No, first time.

So, what we are going to do
is inject some fluid into the ankle.

Every month there's been six or seven lads
injured. I can't remember a month

where there's only been two or three
in the physio room.

I think every single month
has been like that.

Right, so that's your injection done.
That's protecting it.

- Perfect.
- Alright. No problem at all.

Thank you very much.

Emotionally, the team
have had to become more robust.

There's a lot of pressure on them.

We've gone from an environment
where players trained for two hours a day

and then go and play golf
or listen to music.

Now they're in Thorp Arch
for nine hours a day

and the requirements,
Marcelo is asking a lot of them.

What's made me really proud of the team
this year is that they've all stepped up.

People talk about cultural changes
in organisations.

The cultural change
that we've asked our players to take

is really severe.
It's changed their whole way of life.

But each one of them to a man
stepped up and embraced it.

It's mid-November. Since the last-grasp
draw against Brentford,

Leeds have only won two
of their last four games

and have slipped to third place.
Now, an injury-depleted side

face fellow title contenders
West Bromwich Albion away from home.

So, another huge test for Leeds United,

this time at the Hawthorns
against much-fancied West Bromwich Albion

and Leeds are ravaged by injury.

But the reward,
should they overcome their problems,

will be a return to the top of the table
if they can win.

Leeds are on the back foot
from the start.

West Brom on the attack with Rodriguez,
in round the back here with Robson-Kanu,

who shoots low
and he's beaten Peacock-Farrell.

And West Brom deservedly take the lead.

United are behind here at the Hawthorns.

For the first time this season,
Leeds are dominated by an opponent.

They are coming again.
Phillips from distance...

and Peacock-Farrell
will not look back well on that one,

beaten from a long way out

and Phillips doubles the lead
for the Baggies.

It's West Brom two, Leeds United nil

and this is the first time that United

have been seriously outplayed
in a match under Marcelo Bielsa.

They're in for a third here,
Harvey Barnes, and that is three.

And the humiliation must be complete now
for Leeds United.

There's no way back here. They've been
ripped apart in this second half.

Again and again, their defence -
ravaged by injuries - is breached.

Is there a fourth?
Dwight Gayle with the cheeky back heel.

He loves a goal against Leeds.
He's got another one.

After decades of disappointment,

Leeds fans had real hope
for a return to the top flight.

But after the West Brom defeat,
doubt has resurfaced.

West Brom away, I mean,
it was a bit of a reality check, really.

We got beat.

You're just downhearted,

but I'm one of those people
who sleeps on it and forgets about it.

Leeds were not promotion favourites
at the start of the season

but even after
that comprehensive defeat, they are now.

An entire city is hoping,
almost demanding, success.

The players
have got to turn up on the pitch

and the fans have to stick by them.

We're a city where, if we lose -

and as much as I love Leeds
and the fans who are behind us -

we've got some fans who are very fickle

and they're quick to jump
on the players' backs.

The way you have to bounce back from it
is just to learn from when it went wrong

and try not to dwell
on the negative side and that bad feeling.

You have to turn that into a positive.
So the loss, the feeling of going down

to a big score like that,
that many goals...

you have to take on that anger
and that fucking frustration

and think,
"I never want to feel like that again."

In a break from training,
captain Liam Cooper

is visiting Josh Warrington,

IBF featherweight champion
and fanatical Leeds United supporter.

- How have you been?
- Not too bad, steady away.

- How are you?
- Alright, yeah.

We're not training until quarter to one.

Have you got your gloves?

I only really started following Josh
when I moved to Leeds.

We get the opportunity
to meet each other through sport.

- Alright mate, alright?
- Top man.

How's it going?

Good mate,
we had a couple of days off last week...

but once he's given us
a couple of days off, that's it.

We're straight back down
to grafting, you know?

Today will probably be the hardest day.
Obviously we are all on those GPSs,

just to get all of your running stats up
and your accelerations, decelerations.

He's just mad for it.

A lot of players that play for the club

probably don't understand
what it is to be Leeds.

I think you've got that kind of mentality.

- Like, you're from fucking...
- Working class, mate...

Working class, you understand what it is.

People talk about Leeds fans
being a different breed.

We are. It's a different mentality.

Massively, massively passionate,
as you've seen, home and away.

Fucking in there, do you know what I mean,
like, how bad do you want it?

What's going to stop you
from throwing down your arms?

It's mentality.
It's fucking Leeds, that what it is.

I wouldn't want to do
what you're doing, anyway!

Getting punched in the face for a living.

Josh is defending his IBF world title
in December

knowing thousands of passionate Leeds fans
will be in his corner.

Leeds fans see Josh
as one of their own, which he is.

They want to give him
any advantage they can,

so if that's intimidating someone
or making someone think, "Woah,"

I mean, it's that little advantage.

He might need that during the fight
at any specific time.

Leeds fans recognise that.
Like they do with us on the pitch

when they're smashing
"Marching on Together" out

either at the start of a game
or during the game.

It does give you that lift
because you think,

"This means something,
this is their lives,

and they are here to watch us."

Hopefully we can keep them there
for the remainder of games

and do something really special.

Fucking, you're standing
on history here, kid.

Before the crucial run
of games in December,

Andrea and the Leeds board
are meeting in London

to discuss plans
for the rest of the season and beyond.

And joining them are representatives
from the San Francisco 49ers,

including president Paraag Marathe
and chief executive Jed York,

who have invested in Leeds recently.

So, the board meetings are...

when you've got the creativity
and intellect of Andrea and the 49ers,

it tends to be a very productive
and interesting debate,

but also there is business
that we need to get done as well.

The 49ers have run one
of the greatest franchises in world sport

and they can help us from a commercial
perspective and a technical perspective.

But the key thing in terms of taking
an investment and making it work

has really been the individuals involved.

So, Paraag and Jed,
they buy into what Leeds United can be.

They buy into the potential.
They are here for the journey,

so they're learning about the sport,
they are learning about the game

but we're also learning from them

because I think there are certain
commercial and technical elements

that we can learn from.

Paraag and his team
are keen to understand the intricacies

of Leeds United's
player recruitment policy

and how director of football,
Victor Orta,

works with head coach Marcelo Bielsa.

The reason that we have conversations
by phone or face to face

for nearly one hour each day
is because I can start to feel

what things he likes
with respect to the skills of the players.

Now for me, in my past,
when I have had big success,

is when the head coach
trusts the recruitment 200%.

Victor explains the variety of tools
and expertise at their disposal

when scouting for players.

Now in football, we can discuss
a lot of the tools that we use,

but the information is for all the people.

All the people have the information
and it is not expensive.

The data or the algorithms
are not expensive,

and all people have the information.
But this is not the key for success.

The key for success
is to convert this information

into knowledge for your team.

This is really important because all
the people have access to the information.

But you need to convert it into knowledge.
When you do that, you have the real power.

Yesterday was just a normal meeting,
board meeting to update our partners

but also an update from the management,
to update me.

It's always good for me
to have an overview

about everything that's going on
in the club in more detail.

I see we are finally getting closer

to the club
I wanted to build from the beginning.

I'm very proud to say
that the vision I had

is starting to become concrete.

Step by step, we are getting
to be the club we want to be.

We are becoming a good club,
modern and well-managed,

and this reflects on the pitch, I think.

I think it's a big day,
very important game.

We can't lose more points.

Tom, let's put some music on.
I'm getting depressed.

- What kind of thing do you like?
- Anything, don't worry. Just...

No news. No politics.

- There we are.
- Yeah, that's better.

I had a very rough week.
We need a win now to cheer me up.

Andrea, keep doing all your good work.
Thank you.

It's early December
and Leeds face arguably

their toughest test
of the season so far,

another Yorkshire derby
at promotion rivals Sheffield United.

- I'm very pleased to be back here.
- It's good to have you back.

This time, hopefully,
you be more generous on the pitch.

Well, I'm not sure about that.

It's a shame to spoil a good day
by losing to Leeds United

because the competition
between the two clubs

has been immense for many, many years.

We've always had some great games.
Some games I can remember at Elland Road.

I don't want to remember the score
because you did win and won well

but the camaraderie
is hard fought on the pitch.

And I may say, under your stewardship,

the camaraderie and hospitality
off the pitch is first class.

There were years
when it wasn't that way at Leeds

but it's good to see the club
restored to a community club

just like Sheffield United.

- Thank you. Good luck today.
- Good luck today.

From the next game.

Yorkshire derby matches
are always fierce battles.

Leeds, with an injury-ravaged squad,
are taking on Sheffield United,

who have a similar,
all-out attacking style.

They always start fast. Very fast.

The first 15 minutes
we need to be very focused on the pitch.

I think the West Brom game might be
the best thing that happened to us.

Because we learnt so much from it.

He can play anywhere, even goalkeeper.

This is as partisan as it can be
for a promotion push.

Two Yorkshire sides
divided by a halfway line

as they go head to head

looking for a place in the Premier League
at this early stage of the season.

Twenty minutes into the game
and yet another injury for Leeds.

This time to inspirational captain,
Liam Cooper.

Cooper is down

and he's been an absolute colossus
for Leeds so far this season

and can you believe it?

Another injury blow for Leeds United
and what a crucial man this is as well.

Key to the defence, key to the performance
at the back all season.

Oh, that's another bad challenge.
Stuart Dallas down this time.

Off, off, off, off!

At half-time, defender Luke Ayling
is outraged that the officials

have been too lenient with
Sheffield United's aggressive approach.

Marcelo Bielsa brings on
young attacking midfielder Jack Clarke.

Substitute Jack Clarke
looking to weave his magic.

What can he conjure up here?

Strikes and Henderson goes low.

Here's Klich.
He's fancying his chances, too.

Stopped by Henderson,
following with the rebound.

Klich again. So close past the angle.

Egan with the pass back to Henderson.

He's struggling
to keep this one in and clear.

Clarke has pounced,
he's going to find Hernandez here...

Hernandez from close range

wraps up the points in the Yorkshire derby
for Leeds United.

What a huge step towards promotion
this could be.

It's the youngster Clarke
to the veteran Hernandez

and they have combined lethally
for Leeds United.

And Leeds United have done it.

First win at Bramall Lane since 1992.

And Leeds United take the bragging rights
against Sheffield United.

Thank you.

A huge win. Leeds United's first win
at Bramall Lane since 1992,

the year they were last crowned
champions of England.

The crucial win has come at a cost.

Captain Liam Cooper's knee injury
will require surgery.

And teammate Stuart Dallas
has a broken bone in his foot.

Since the heavy four-one defeat
to West Bromwich Albion,

Leeds have recorded three straight wins.

One player has been pivotal
in this recovery: Pablo Hernandez.

I think he's been marvellous to watch.
He sees things that others just don't.

Hernandez on his day is just unplayable
and he has got better this season.

Bear in mind, he wasn't even guaranteed
a regular start when he first came.

I think he makes me a better coach

because I see solutions and decisions

that I've rarely seen
throughout my career.

You okay? You happy?
Are you watching the training? You like?

Marcelo says he's a quiet leader,
and that's really how it is.

It feels so good when he is on the pitch.

He's one of them.
He's really quiet away from the pitch

but you put him on the pitch
and he's full of character.

He comes alive. He's loud.
He's authoritative.

Back in the changing rooms,
he's just quiet Pablo again.

I know I am an important player
in the squad

but, like me,
we have other important players.

If I play well,
it's because they helped me.

This is the most important thing for me.

And I do all I can do for the team.

You can feel this club is different.
This club is a big club.

Leeds United may be coming out
of the darkest period in its history.

For the first time in years
it appears there is a real unity

between fans, players,
management and owner.

That's what Andrea wanted to do.
He wanted to reconnect the fanbase with...

He wanted to reconnect
with the community and with the fans.

He wanted to make a big statement to say,

"We're custodians and you're going to take
the club forward for us."

And he's done that.

They'd had 15 years of turmoil.

Our objective as a club, is to...

we're trying to do one thing,
make the supporters proud.

Over the last 15 years, Leeds supporters
haven't had enough to be proud about.

It's early December.

Later today, Leeds take on
Queens Park Rangers at Elland Road.

Before the game, Andrea and wife Nedine

are dropping into
a Leeds city centre hospital

to visit patients, staff and volunteers.

We've had a lot of bad owners
that have not put the club first.

This is the first time
for a long, long time

that the stability
is there in the background.

We've got great interaction with the team
and what we've got with Radrizzani,

we've got a good relationship with him.

I should have dressed like Santa Claus.

- Yeah, you should have done.
- I have already in the past.

I'm sure Marcelo looks good as a Santa.

- You tell him. I'm not telling him.
- I can tell him.

- You scared of him, yeah?
- Yeah!

That's okay.

Great, so, shall we go
and meet some patients?

Hello. Are you wondering
who all these people are?

Yeah. He's had his first batch,
so he's waiting for his second.

So cute.

- Become a football player, Roberto.
- Oh, he likes it.

I'll wait for you, okay?

- I think he likes it.
- When we go Premier League, then you come.

Oh, he's smiling at you, Nedine.
He likes you.

Look at his eyes. Be strong, my man.

I look forward
to seeing you in the stadium, okay?

Andrea has invited some of the kids
from the Children's Heart Surgery Fund

to today's game against QPR.

It's been brilliant.
I only told her a few days ago

because she really likes stuff like this.

And because she's been in hospital
for so long,

she's met quite a few players,
you know, at the LGI,

so she has remembered them
so she is excited for today.

- I'll try and score for you, okay?
- So, if he scores...

- But don't cry, okay?
- When you're in the tunnel,

Pablo will hold your hand
and walk out with you.

What's up, do you not think
we're going to win today, is that it?

Despite a good run,

Leeds lie second in the Championship
behind a resurgent Norwich City.

They need a win against mid-table
QPR to keep on Norwich's tail.

Come on, guys. Come on!

Captain Liam Cooper is on a growing list

of first-team players
sidelined through injury.

Obviously me and the injured lads
are dying to get back

and help the lads in the dressing room
as well as we can.

Come on!

I get more nervous watching than I do
when I'm playing and I don't know why.

When you're sat from there, you feel all
the emotion instead of just your own.

It's the fans around you,

you feel the staff's emotion.

When you're playing,
you just have yourself to concentrate on.

Leeds! Leeds!

Leeds' attacking style
has left them vulnerable

to counter-attacks in previous games.

Come on!

Nahki Wells through here.
Jansson has missed his cue,

and Wells again,
low into the corner at the Kop end

and Queens Park Rangers take the lead.

Yet again, Leeds fall behind
against the run of play.

And without Liam Cooper.

How costly is it for Leeds
not to have their captain

in these crucial games
leading in towards Christmas?

Leeds need to show their fighting spirit,
no-surrender attitude

to get back into another game
they should not be losing.

It's Shackleton on the overlap for United,

lifts it to the back post
looking for Alioski,

it will drop to Saiz, he won't get
his shot away properly or cleanly,

Hernandez will try one and it's Roofe
who steers it in from close range.

Another equaliser and another vital goal
for Kemar Roofe for Leeds United.

It's one-one here against QPR.

We all love Leeds
We all love Leeds

We all love Leeds
We all love Leeds...

A draw is not enough to keep on the tail
of table-topping Norwich City.

Fans and injured teammates will them on
as they push for a winning goal.

Chance for Roofe here... Oh, it's saved.

What a moment, what a chance.

Roofe could be in here again.
He's over the top of Leistner,

brings it down... and the referee
has seen something... handball.

And Leeds United,

for the first time in 59 games,
have been given a penalty.

And at the Kop end,
Kemar Roofe has the chance

to take all three points
against Queens Park Rangers.

It's two for Roofe, it's two for Leeds.

The walking wounded look on.
The tension is palpable.

Can Leeds hang on?

That's it, they've done it.
It's finished Leeds two, QPR one.

Another battling
back-from-behind performance.

Leeds and Norwich
hold the two automatic promotion spots

and a gap is growing between them
and the chasing pack.

Yes!

But their injury-hit squad
now face a hectic flurry of fixtures

over the busy Christmas period

when Championship sides
must play four games in nine days.

There's another huge event on the horizon
for the city's sports fans.

Leeds boxing hero, Josh Warrington,
is defending his IBF world title

against challenger
and favourite Carl Frampton.

Since I've been fighting in Leeds,
I've always tried to keep it in Leeds.

Just because, it's what it is.
My nickname is Leeds Warrior.

I've got "Marching on Together"
tattooed on my leg.

Every fight, Josh picks a Leeds United
legend to enter the ring with him.

And for this fight,
there is only one contender.

I want someone who's going to feel it
and be part of it, so we sat down and...

I said, it's got to be Cooper.
He's the fucking... he's a leader, man.

He's going to lead us into battle.
That's what you're doing, ultimately,

you're fucking marching that belt into
battle with us. It's a massive thing.

It took me by surprise
because Josh hadn't mentioned it.

I messaged back,
my missus sat next to me,

"Fancy going to the boxing?
Josh asked me to do a ring walk."

She was like, "Yeah, let's go."

Just your presence there,
I don't take it for granted.

Seeing somebody in the same sporting field
there, you do buzz off it.

I can only say thank you
for being a part of it, mate.

Leeds through and through.

Always going on and, mate,
doing the business.

Let's do it. Let's go, let's go!

And now, let's welcome to the ring,
the defending world champion

from Leeds, England:

Josh "The Leeds Warrior" Warrington!

Two massive clubs in English football -
a clash fit for the Premier League -

this is Aston Villa versus Leeds United.

Bielsa is forced to juggle his pack
once again. It's an injury-ravaged squad.

Move back towards his dream.

...forward here.
McGinn inside the penalty area,

he's bearing down on Peacock-Farrell,
it falls to Abraham and he's scored.

United are behind again
in the Championship

and it's the Chelsea loanee,
Tammy Abraham.

Now here comes Warrington again.

Terrific intensity.

Chance for Villa.
Falls for Hourihane on his left foot,

that's where he likes it... two-nil Villa.

More aggression from the champion...

Oh, he's caught him!

Big left hook from Warrington.
What a start to this fight.

And he's gone looking for Frampton.

Nearly an hour gone.
Leeds trailing two-nil.

They need something to happen now.

Jack Clarke, what can he do
coming off the wing?

Sets his sights... and he hits the target!

And Leeds, just two-one behind,
have hope now at Villa Park.

Corner for Leeds.

Up goes Jansson and that's two-two!

Another equaliser for Leeds.

That never-say-die spirit
in full evidence again.

This side does not know when it's beaten.

And how they celebrate
with their fans at Villa Park.

He comes again.
Frampton is in trouble, is he going to go?

Warrington thinks he is.

We're five minutes deep into added time.
Is there another chance for Leeds?

Here's Roofe...
Oh, he's driven it low and he's won it!

It's a five-goal thriller at the Villa

and Kemar Roofe
has done it right at the death.

The winner by unanimous decision

and still IBF featherweight
champion of the world.

And that's it. An incredible comeback
is complete for Leeds.

What a weekend for the city.

Josh Warrington defends his world title
and United go top of the table.

Happy Christmas!

The incredible comeback at Villa Park

shows Marcelo Bielsa's demanding approach
is paying off.

The team fight to the very end

and ensure they are top of the table
on Christmas Day.

For the past ten seasons,
every team in this position at this time

has been automatically promoted
to the Premier League.

Leeds are now the bookies'
red-hot favourites to win the title

and return to the top flight.

Only three days later, Leeds must take
on Blackburn Rovers at Elland Road...

It's the Leeds Warrior, Josh Warrington.

...and they have a special
guest urging them on.

It's a game supporters expect to win
here at Elland Road.

Leeds United against Blackburn Rovers,

it's the second game in three days
over the intense Christmas period.

We cannot promise the drama
that we saw at Aston Villa

but Leeds need to keep that momentum going

as they look to push on
towards the Premier League.

Harrison with the cross and it's in.

Leeds are ahead - as expected,
they finally make the breakthrough.

It's Leeds United one,
Blackburn Rovers nil.

Not sure how but Leeds have gifted
Mulgrew the chance to equalise

and Blackburn are coming away
from Elland Road with something.

It's Leeds one, Blackburn one.

Heading into added time.
Blackburn have a free-kick.

And surely they can't win it now...
and it's Mulgrew

and he's beaten Peacock-Farrell
at the near post.

I can't believe what I'm seeing.

Blackburn Rovers at the death here
look like they have stolen

all three points
to take back to Lancashire.

Leeds United have given up a lead.

It's been a hell of a turnaround here
at Elland Road.

And Rovers look like they have stolen it
right at the very end.

Forshaw with the cross,
flicked on by Hernandez,

Jansson with the header, saved...

and at the second attempt Roofe's done it!

It's another equaliser,
two-two at Elland Road.

Dig in, dig in and never give in.

What spirit this side are showing.

This is the mark of champions.

This is the mark of a side
that wants to go up.

Roofe with the header... he's done it!

It's three-two.

Leeds have done it again.
Another five-goal thriller.

How can this happen? This just isn't real.

I defy you to write a better story

and I defy you to witness better scenes
at any ground in England.

Leeds United
have beaten Blackburn Rovers three-two.

This is crazy.

Elland Road has gone completely bonkers

as Leeds United
continue their push for promotion

with the greatest comeback we've seen.

It was emotional for everyone.

I think that football has these impacts

that originate from feelings

and reach high peaks of expression.

In this sense, as a trigger of emotions,
football is incomparable.

Leeds United have shown
true fighting spirit

during the first half of the season

and remain in prime position
to win promotion to the Premier League.

Next time,
as the January transfer window opens,

Leeds target key signings to strengthen
their push for a top-flight return.

But it's not player transfers
that make the headlines,

as a controversial incident
causes a huge storm,

and makes Leeds United

the most talked-about club
in world football once again.

We'll spy where we want

We're Leeds United
We'll spy where we want