Leeds kept up the pressure on the Championship’s top two with a 2-1 win over Plymouth at Elland Road.

Dan James gave Leeds an early lead as he curled in and Joel Piroe doubled the advantage in another dominant first-half home display against opponents who had clearly come to play on the break.

Steven Schumacher’s side grew into the contest after half time and claimed a late consolation through substitute Ben Waine.

Leeds had the better of the early exchanges but failed to make the most of a free-kick from the right by Crysencio Summerville.

Georginio Rutter had home fans appealing for a penalty after 11 minutes when he went down in the area, but referee John Smith was not interested.

Julio Pleguezuelo denied Summerville the chance to meet a James cross at the expense of a corner, from which Joe Rodon headed just off target.

Finn Azaz controlled and shot straight at Illan Meslier from the edge of the area as Plymouth responded.

Leeds were not to be denied as James fired curled home from the edge of the area after Kaine Kesler-Hayden gave the ball away with 20 minutes gone.

Summerville played in Piroe behind the Plymouth back line, and he slid the ball between goalkeeper Michael Cooper’s legs just before the half-hour to make it 2-0.

Rodon blocked a shot from Luke Cundle as Plymouth threatened on the break with 10 minutes of the half remaining.

Rutter’s fine run from halfway saw him surge into the area but Cooper was equal to his low shot before Piroe’s effort was straight at the keeper as Leeds pressed for goal number three.

Morgan Whittaker forced Meslier into a low save early in the second half before Kesler-Hayden blocked a Piroe shot with his back.

Kesler-Hayden fired wide across goal in a rare Plymouth attack as Leeds were temporarily reduced to 10 men with injury to Sam Byram which saw the defender replaced.

Rutter was off target with two efforts from range before his chipped pass saw Piroe head over as Leeds pressed for the next goal with an hour gone.

Plymouth were far from out of the game and when Summerville tripped Whittaker the forward curled in a free-kick which Leeds were able to clear.

Substitute Jaidon Anthony’s shot was saved low to his left by Cooper with seven minutes to go.

Plymouth had come intent on counter-attacking and netted with five minutes to go when Waine turned in Cundle’s low cross, but they were unable to level.

Leeds manager Daniel Farke felt his side’s 1-0 victory at Championship leaders Leicester was a reward for a performance of “bravery and courage”.

Georginio Rutter’s 57th-minute goal was enough to make sure Leeds closed in on Ipswich in second place, and condemn Leicester to their second home defeat of the season.

Farke praised an impressive display from Leeds, who took the game to Leicester early on and produced what was a statement win at the King Power Stadium.

“We were brave and went for it with courage as a side who have been unbeaten for so long,” said the Leeds manager.

“It was a complex performance on the field, but we stayed disciplined and kept them to areas where they couldn’t hurt us. I believed in my players and that they could dominate the game.

“You could see the goal coming in the second half, it was a deserved win, we had the better chances.

“The only thing Georginio needed to improve was his goal tally. This was a decisive goal and a sign of quality.”

Farke highlighted the fact that Leeds’ players celebrated with goalkeeper Illan Meslier after the game.

The Frenchman produced a superb save to keep out a stoppage-time header from Leicester’s Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

“If you want to achieve something special, you need unity,” added the German coach. “That is why the players celebrated Illan’s save. He is a diamond, if he continues to produce performances like this we are definitely on the right path, I think he is the best keeper in the league.

“I also felt that Glen Kamara had his best game in a white shirt.

“For us at the moment, the table is not important. Whatever the outcome here, everything would be possible for both sides. But it was a massive three points for us, a great boost. It was a good night for us.

“But Leicester are such a good side, I’m sure at the end of the season they’ll be in a top position.”

Farke admitted he was “disappointed” to be shown a yellow card for protesting against referee Dean Whitestone’s decision to wave away appeals after Crysencio Summerville went down under pressure from Ricardo Pereira.

“It was only my second yellow card in over 200 games in English football,” he said. “I was a bit disappointed, for me it was definitely a foul. Was it a penalty or a free-kick and a red card.  He didn’t whistle anything, it was a decisive moment.”

Leicester had been aiming for a  10th successive win, but they remain 11 points clear of Leeds in third spot.

Abdul Fatawu hit the crossbar in the first half, but Leicester managed only one effort on target during the game.

“I’m happy with the performance, we expected this match in terms of intensity,” said Leicester manager Enzo Maresca.

“They are a very good team, dangerous and good technically. We cannot win all the games. Overall I am happy, defeat is part of the process. It’s a case of what we can do better, and for sure, we can do some things better.

“I felt we deserved something more from the game.”

Maresca said he felt that, while Leeds took the three points, it had been Sunderland in the previous home game that had offered more in the way of tempo.

“Sunderland were more aggressive and more consistent,” said the Italian. “They started in minute one and finished in minute 95.

“Leeds started with intensity in the first half, and they dropped in the last minutes. We were in control for the last half hour. For me, the team that showed more intensity was Sunderland.”

Georginio Rutter earned Leeds a 1-0 victory against Sky Bet Championship leaders Leicester as Daniel Farke’s side took another step towards challenging the top two.

The result still leaves Leicester 11 points clear of Leeds in third place, but this will be seen as a statement victory against a side who have dominated the division this season.

Abdul Fatawu hit the crossbar in the first half, and Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier produced a superb save to keep out a stoppage-time header from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. But Leicester had just one shot on target while suffering their second home defeat of the campaign.

Leicester, five points clear at the top, had been chasing a 10th successive victory and were looking to equal the best-ever start to a second tier season since Bristol City in the 1905-06 season.

But Leeds took on Enzo Maresca’s side head-on. They were rewarded when Rutter netted after 57 minutes with a goal that proved to be the winner.

Leicester found themselves under pressure early on, something they have not been used to at the King Power Stadium this season.

But Leeds, who were also relegated from the Premier League last season, caused Leicester problems and looked in confident mood.

Joel Piroe carved out space in the Leicester area after only two minutes, but he curled his shot wide of the target.

Maresca’s side began to find some momentum and the game suddenly switched from one end to the other as Fatawu raced in from the right and unleashed a powerful shot which shook the crossbar.

Leeds immediately moved into the Leicester area and Crysencio Summerville went down under pressure from Leicester’s Ricardo Pereira.

Referee Dean Whitestone waved away all appeals, much to Farke’s anger.  He made his feelings known in the technical area, with his protests seeing him shown a yellow card.

Leeds continued to put pressure on Leicester after the break and goalkeeper Mads Hermansen could only parry a Piroe shot, but there was no-one to take advantage of the loose ball.

Leeds who broke the deadlock when a Daniel James corner was met by Sam Byram’s header, which was pushed out by Hermansen. The Dane may have got lucky moments earlier, but this time the ball fell into Rutter’s path and he scored from close range for his third of the season.

Maresca had been planning to take off Jamie Vardy and replace him with Kelechi Iheanacho as the goal went in, a move which then happened with Leicester a goal down.

Leeds threatened a second with 17 minutes to go as James broke clear, but his low drive was smothered by Hermansen.

Leicester laid siege to the Leeds goal in the closing stages, but could not find the equaliser.

Leeds thrashed Huddersfield 4-1 at Elland Road keep their bid for a return to the Premier League on track.

Dan James and Crysencio Summerville both hit first half doubles as Daniel Farke’s men finally produced the sort of free-scoring display their dominance at home has threatened all season.

James opened the scoring after 20 minutes before Summerville added the second on the half-hour.

James soon added the third and Summerville completed the Leeds scoring on a day when the home side threatened to get at least twice as many.

Michal Helik netted a consolation for the visitors with 20 minutes remaining as Darren Moore’s side looked more compact after the break.

James fired in the opener from 25 yards as Leeds eventually made their early pressure pay and there was not way back from Huddersfield as they had little to offer at this point save for an off-target effort by Delano Burgzorg.

Summerville picked his spot for the second as the visitors’ defence failed to cope with Leeds’ free-flowing style with forward Georginio Rutter once again proving a handful.

It did not take long for Leeds to add a third and Rutter was involved once again, laying the ball off to Summerville who burst from his own half to set up James.

The winger was able to take his time before firing a shot across Lee Nicholls which the Huddersfield keeper could do little about.

Leeds could have had another but Nicholls this time proved equal to a Summerville shot and James blazed the rebound over.

Rutter again provided the chance for the fourth Leeds goal which came in first-half stoppage time.

He burst down the left and cut the ball back for Summerville who had time to turn twice inside the area before beating Nicholls with a shot which went through a crowd of players.

Any thoughts Leeds fans had a of a second-half rout were dispelled by a more compact Huddersfield who benefitted from two changes at the break.

Leeds worked hard for a fifth goal and also took the chance to make changes of their own to give needed game time for some of their fringe players.

A mistake by Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier gave Huddersfield the chance to score a consolation after 70 minutes.

Meslier was unable to hold a shot from Sorba Thomas from outside the area and Helik had timed his move to stay onside and fire in the rebound from close range.

But that was as good as it got for Moore’s side on a day when they were well beaten by opponents who reside at the opposite end of the Championship table.

Alex Neil hopes Stoke’s 1-0 victory over Leeds helps to breed confidence and belief in his players as they secured successive Championship wins.

Leeds substitute Patrick Bamford could have put the Whites in front 15 minutes from time after being brought down by Ben Pearson, but blasted the resulting penalty over.

It proved costly as moments later Stoke striker Wesley headed against the bar and it went in off Leeds skipper Pascal Struijk as the Potters emerged victorious.

The win followed three points picked up against Sunderland over the weekend and Stoke boss Neil felt his players were energised after Bamford’s missed penalty.

Neil said: “When you go and deliver against two of the better teams in the division and you get six points off the back of it, and you can see how much the lads have put in, I think it breeds confidence in everything we’re doing and that belief is massive.

“I thought there was good spells in the first half where we used the ball really well, I thought there was a 20 to 25 minute spell where we were really on top and probably had two or three good opportunities, but we didn’t really take any of them.

“I think we got a let-off with the penalty, that was the one moment that rode in our favour and then we go up the other end, and I thought the fans completely blew the roof off once the penalty was missed, you could see our players get a bit of energy from that, and we went on and won the game.”

Leeds boss Daniel Farke felt his side missed the game’s biggest chance and Stoke took full advantage of that situation to net the winner.

He said: “You have to be clinical in using your chances and today we missed the biggest chance with the penalty and then you could feel for one or two moments a bit disappointed and the whole stadium was buzzing because we missed the penalty.

“They used this in order to create one or two set-pieces and out of the second they were able to score.

“This is football – we didn’t give one chance out of the game away in the second half, but because we missed this penalty and didn’t put the game to bed, we were for this one moment not switched on and they were able to use this chance and once they were in the lead with just 10 minutes to go, they tried everything, put their bodies on the line to block every shot.

“It’s the Championship, it’s relentless, so congratulations to Stoke and a hard-fought win but I also get the feeling you should travel away with points.”

Patrick Bamford’s penalty miss proved costly as Leeds saw their three-match winning run in the Championship end with a 1-0 defeat at Stoke.

Whites substitute Bamford could have put the Yorkshire side ahead at the bet365 Stadium in the 75th minute but fired over from the spot.

And minutes later at the other end, Wesley’s header clipped the bottom of the crossbar and went in off Leeds captain Pascal Struijk for what proved to be the winner.

Daniel Farke’s side came into the encounter with a 100 per cent record in October, while Alex Neil’s Potters were aiming for successive victories after Saturday’s home triumph against Sunderland.

The Potters had first sight of goal in the opening minute when Andre Vidigal swept in a low shot after meeting Ki-Jana Hoever’s cross but it was straight at Illan Meslier.

Vidigal nearly turned creator in the fifth minute as Ryan Mmaee tested Meslier as Stoke’s bright start continued.

Aside from a misplaced Jordan Thompson pass which they could not capitalise upon, Leeds had very little joy in the final third in the opening stages.

Hoever’s fantastic work on the right led to a dangerous cross for Vidigal but Meslier was once again in the right place, while Mmaee curled over shortly after as Stoke’s onslaught showed no sign of stopping.

Leeds’ first real chance came when Georginio Rutter released Joel Piroe into the box and Mark Travers denied the 26th-minute effort with his legs, before claiming Rutter’s header from the resulting corner.

Stoke’s penalty appeal was waved away by referee Paul Tierney when Mehdi Leris turned and went down under Sam Byram’s challenge on the half-hour.

Mmaee’s endeavour in the box nearly forced an opener in first half stoppage time and Struijk was alert to clear the danger as the ball trickled towards goal.

After the break, Joe Rodon was in the right place to cut out Hoever’s low cross from the right as Stoke continued to threaten, though Jaidon Anthony cut into the box at the other end and curled wide.

Travers was equal to Rutter’s low drive before the hour as Leeds grew in confidence, the Whites striker later firing wide after darting into the box.

Leeds substitute Crysencio Summerville’s first act was to curl a promising effort just wide after 70 minutes.

Bamford won a penalty 15 minutes from time when Ben Pearson brought him down in the box and referee Tierney pointed to the spot, but the striker blasted it over the bar.

And it proved costly as from an 80th minute Hoever corner, Wesley headed against the bar and the ball went in off the unfortunate Struijk for what proved to be the winner.

Leeds manager Daniel Farke was full of praise for his players as they recovered from a 2-0 half-time deficit to win 3-2 at his former club Norwich.

The visitors moved up to third in the Championship table after producing a storming second-half display to maintain their upward momentum.

Farke admitted Norwich had given him an almighty scare but was delighted his new team found a way to prevail.

He said: “I am exhausted and ready for the sofa after that. It was a great game, a really good advert for the Championship between two good sides.

“Norwich made it very difficult for us, as I knew they would, but in the end I thought it was a deserved win.

“In the first half we created more chances than you would expect but we missed them and Norwich scored twice.

“Normally when you are 2-0 down at half-time you would say there was something wrong but I thought, no, we are playing well. We just need to stay on it and be more clinical and we were.

“It was a brilliant second half for us and a massive three points and all the praise has to go to the players. These sort of wins are the best when it comes to building up confidence and we are all delighted.”

Farke was jubilant at the final whistle but said he kept his celebrations in check out of respect to the home fans.

“It was quite emotional for me coming back to Norwich, which will always be a special place for me,” he said.

“I had four-and-a-half unbelievable years here. So I didn’t think it would be right to dance around and celebrate over the moon, even though I was so happy with my lads.”

Leeds wasted chance after chance in the opening period and were punished as Norwich took two of theirs.

Shane Duffy opened his account for the Canaries by heading home a fourth-minute corner from Gabriel Sara, who doubled their advantage in the 43rd minute when he powered through some weak tackling to blast home.

The visitors got back in it just past the hour mark as Duffy scored at the wrong end, deflecting a Dan James cross into his own net after it had eluded keeper George Long, on for the injured Angus Gunn.

The fortunate break gave Leeds the impetus to go on and win it, with Crysencio Summerville producing well-taken strikes in the 77th and 85th minutes to turn the game on its head.

Norwich head coach David Wagner felt there were positives for his team despite the heartbreaking finish.

“In football you get praised if you win and criticised if you lose but sometimes you have to look beyond the result,” he said.

“I have mixed emotions because although I am obviously disappointed with the result there were many things about our performance that pleased me.

“My job is not to get carried away if we win of it we lose. It is to look at the performance and if we continue to perform at a good level like that we will start winning games again.

“We were up against a very good side and that is why we conceded more chances than we would normally do.

“But we created plenty ourselves and I feel really sorry for the lads because they have put in a real shift out there.

“I saw plenty of good things although I was not happy with the way we defended for the first and third goals and that is something we need to look at.”

Daniel Farke made a triumphant return to Carrow Road as his Leeds side hit back to record a dramatic 3-2 victory over his former club Norwich.

The Canaries were two goals to the good at the break, with Shane Duffy heading home early on and Gabriel Sara firing in just before the interval.

But Duffy scored at the wrong end to bring Leeds back into it just after the hour mark and a late double from star man Crysencio Summerville turned the match on its head and earned the visitors all three points.

The defeat continued a poor run from the Canaries while it maintained the upward momentum of the visitors, who have now lost just once in 10 Championship games.

It was an action-packed first half with Norwich scoring early and late and Leeds missing a whole host of chances in between.

The Canaries went in front after just four minutes when the first corner of the game from Sara was headed in at the near post by Duffy, with the defender’s first goal for the club owing much to some poor marking from the visitors.

Farke’s side reacted to the early setback in impressive fashion but lacked a killer touch in front of goal.

Summerville curled an effort just wide and Georginio Rutter fired straight at Angus Gunn before three presentable chances were wasted in the space in three minutes midway through the half.

Glen Kamara was off target after playing a neat one-two with Rutter and Joel Piroe also got his angles wrong after being put through by Dan James before Rutter fired another effort wide.

It was by no means all Leeds, however.

City also had their moments after the disruption of losing Gunn to what looked liked a thigh injury, with George Long coming on for his league debut on the half-hour mark.

Their efforts were rewarded on 43 minutes when they stretched their lead.

Onel Hernandez did well to pick out Sara in a crowded area after a burst down the left and the Brazilian midfielder muscled his way through some weak tackling to blast the ball home.

Leeds continued to press after the break but they needed a slice of good fortune to reduce the arrears on 63 minutes.

James did well to get to the byline after a swift counter-attack and his cross evaded Long before hitting the back-tracking Duffy and trickling over the line.

Illan Meslier did well to tip a curling free-kick from Sara around the post and then parry an effort from Jack Stacey as Norwich sought to restore their two-goal advantage.

But Leeds kept pushing and got a deserved equaliser on 77 minutes.

Norwich left Summerville unmarked on the edge of the box at a corner and were punished as the Dutchman fired home in impressive fashion, with his looping shot going in off the far post.

Leeds completed a dramatic turnaround as Summerville scored his second eight minutes later after Norwich had been caught short at the back when pushing forward.

Summerville had a clear run at goal from inside his own half and made the most of it as he powered forward before cutting inside and burying a low shot past the exposed Long.

Daniel Farke singled out Archie Gray after the teenager starred in Leeds’ 2-1 Sky Bet Championship win over Bristol City.

The 17-year-old midfielder was drafted in at right-back and kept Sam Bell quiet until the winger was replaced with 25 minutes to go at Elland Road.

Dan James gave Leeds the lead, only for Kal Naismith to head in an equaliser in stoppage time at the end of the first half.

However, Joel Piroe’s controlled strike early in the second half proved decisive as the home side again wasted chances to win by a clearer margin.

Farke said: “I have to give all the compliments to Archie. You can have an idea but it’s much more important the player brings it on the pitch.

“Archie was there with a terrific performance against the ball and also with the ball. It’s all about his potential as a character.”

Farke was happy with the way his side dominated but rued the number of chances they missed.

The German continued: “We created so many chances against such a rock solid side. The only thing I can criticise is not taking our chances, the game should have been done at half-time.”

James finally broke the deadlock after 36 minutes after the ball broke to him six yards out and he found the bottom corner with a left foot shot.

The visitors levelled at the end of the half as Naismith rose to head in a corner and earn his side a barely deserved equaliser.

Leeds went back in front seven minutes into the second half when Piroe shot in low from 20 yards, after the home side had worked the ball across the City area.

The home side should have won by a greater margin but for a glaring first half miss from two yards by Rutter and City goalkeeper Max O’Leary’s save which denied Crysencio Summerville in the second half.

City pushed for a late equaliser but Sam Byram headed off the line from a corner, then blocked a goalbound shot as Leeds held on.

The Robins’ assistant boss Curtis Fleming felt his side had missed a chance to take something out of the game.

He said: “We feel it was a missed opportunity, if I’m honest.

“Leeds are a good side but we controlled the ball well at times and caused them problems and we didn’t trouble them as much as we wanted to. I don’t think we showed as much as what we wanted to.

“They have real quality (in attack) and we knew that coming into the game. We knew we had to concentrate as much as we could as a defensive unit.

“There’s no doubt if you give quality sides chances they will score goals.

“We had a couple of (late) chances but we feel it was a missed chance today. We feel we didn’t ask them as many questions as we could.”

City lost forward Nahki Wells to a first half ankle injury but Fleming hoped it was not too serious ahead of a two-week international break.

Fleming added: “Nahki is a real handful at the moment and it was disappointing to lose him. It’s probably come at a good time, when he has got two weeks (to recover).”

Leeds kept pace with the Sky Bet Championship play-off pack with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Bristol City at Elland Road.

Daniel Farke’s side opened the scoring in the 37th minute when Dan James was in the right place to fire into the bottom corner after the visitors had failed to clear a flowing move by the home side.

Kal Naismith sent the sides in level at the break as he headed in a corner but Leeds regained the lead early in the second half through Joel Piroe’s neat finish from the edge of the area, which proved enough to earn all three points.

Leeds started on the front foot but from their first attack Ethan Ampadu sliced a volley off target.

City responded with a cross from the left by Nahki Wells but the ball flashed across goal just in front of the diving Rob Dickie.

Leeds should have taken the lead after 10 minutes when Crysencio Summerville found Georginio Rutter unmarked at the far post but he fired over the bar from two yards.

Ampadu then forced Max O’Leary to punch his fierce shot away as Leeds again pressed for the opening goal, before Summerville had a shot deflected for a corner after he latched onto Rutter’s flicked pass before bearing down on goal.

James finally opened the scoring when the ball broke to him six yards out and he found the bottom corner with a left foot shot, after Rutter had squared a recycled ball when goalkeeper O’Leary beat away a shot by Piroe.

But City levelled in the fourth minute of first half stoppage-time as Naismith rose to head in a corner and earn his side a barely deserved equaliser.

Leeds were ahead again seven minutes into the second half when Piroe shot in low from 20 yards after the home side had worked the ball across the Bristol City area.

The home side just failed to grab a third goal as Rutter’s pass set up Summerville but his rising shot from a tight angle was pushed onto the corner of post and bar by O’Leary.

Rutter then led a breakaway from the edge of his own area and after his pass to James had been blocked the Brazilian crossed from the right side of the area but Summerville was unable to apply the final touch.

Leeds thought they had made it 3-1 but Rutter had been offside from Sam Byram’s original shot, before poking home the rebound following O’Leary’s save.

Byram then headed off the line and did well to block an Andreas Weimann shot in the final 10 minutes as the home side held on for the win.

Leeds boss Daniel Farke was pleased to see his side grind out a 1-0 victory over QPR in the Championship.

Crysencio Summerville coolly slotted in the only goal of the contest after nine minutes to move the Whites into the play-off places.

The hosts missed chances to kill the game off against a QPR side who had goalkeeper Asmir Begovic sent off in stoppage time, but Leeds held on as they returned to winning ways following Saturday’s defeat to Southampton.

“I am really happy and pleased,” Farke said.

“I told the lads I am proud because you can be on a great spell like we were on before Southampton and after one bad result, the next game is very difficult.

“The confidence is not there like it was before and to grind out a result it’s never champagne or football fireworks, it’s always hard work.

“To bring this tight lead over the line and be there again with a clean sheet, a win, is fantastic and in this type of game you have to be there to be able to celebrate.”

Leeds missed a handful of chances in the second period which could have put them out of sight and Farke admitted it started to get more nervy as the game wore on.

He added: “When you don’t score the second goal the opponent believes there is a chance.

“Because you don’t score a second goal it gets more nervous. We dominated every stat, but one scruffy situation in the second half saw a ball go through and thank God (goalkeeper) Illan (Meslier) was in the right position.”

QPR slipped to their sixth league defeat of the season and are without a win in five, but boss Gareth Ainsworth took heart from the performance.

“We’ve had a couple of collapses in my time so resilience wise I’m very proud of the boys,” he said.

“They gave everything, I asked for a bit more output, bit more of the committed work rate, I haven’t seen enough of that this season and we have that tonight. I think we will finish way higher than what people think.”

Ainsworth disagreed with the decision to send off Begovic, who saw red after fouling Patrick Bamford outside his area.

“He (Begovic) does not touch him (Bamford). I’ve had verification from both players that there’s no contact,” Ainsworth said.

“Patrick’s a great lad and he’s just jumped out the way and the referee has seen it as he thought he caught him. We may be able to get it overturned, I don’t know.”

Crysencio Summerville’s early goal ensured Leeds returned to winning ways in the Championship with a 1-0 victory over QPR at Elland Road.

The first half seemed too easy for the hosts who were looking to make it consecutive home wins for the first time this season and had their opener inside 10 minutes thanks to Summerville.

The Whites missed a handful of chances in the second period through Patrick Bamford, Dan James and Pascal Struijk but held on to register their second home success of the campaign after goalkeeper Asmir Begovic was sent off in stoppage time.

Leeds opened the scoring in the ninth minute when QPR were dispossessed in the middle of the park and Georginio Rutter slid through to Summerville who lifted over Begovic.

Daniel Farke’s side were aiming to bounce back from their 3-1 defeat to Southampton at the weekend and they sensed blood in the early stages of the encounter – Summerville’s inswinging corner met the head of Liam Cooper who nodded just wide.

QPR were struggling for form and it showed in the opening quarter of the match. Leeds could have had another when Rutter set up Summerville for a second time but his effort was somehow blocked behind.

The visitors failed to make any impression in the first 45 but had their first sight of goal when Sinclair Armstrong raced through but his cross-shot ran comfortably out of play.

With just a one-goal margin, there was a shift in the atmosphere around the ground and QPR registered their first shot on target in the 66th minute when space opened up for Ilias Chair but his effort from 20 yards was pouched by Illan Meslier.

Substitutes Bamford and James provided some impetus off the bench and Leeds could have had a second, though the latter’s deflected shot was saved easily by Begovic with 15 minutes to play.

Two minutes later Bamford latched on to Rutter’s long ball forward before his first-time effort was parried behind as Leeds looked to turn the screw.

Leeds enjoyed their best spell of the game towards the end of the second half and moments after James’ goal-bound deflected cross was turned behind by Begovic, they ought to have scored again but Struijk somehow blazed over from three yards following a corner.

Leeds’ slender lead remained precarious and QPR almost made them pay with two minutes left when Jimmy Dunne knocked a long ball on to the onrushing boot of Lyndon Dykes but Meslier was on hand to keep the hosts’ clean sheet intact.

QPR were reduced to 10 men after Begovic brought last man Bamford down outside the area with the goal at his mercy and Dykes was forced to take the goalkeepers’ gloves for stoppage time, which Leeds saw out to move into the play-off places.

Scotland manager Steve Clarke believes he has the depth and flexibility to cope with the loss of Kieran Tierney for next week’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Spain.

Tierney suffered a hamstring injury while playing for Real Sociedad on Saturday and Clarke has added left-back Greg Taylor and centre-back Liam Cooper to his squad.

Scotland will qualify for next summer’s finals in Germany if they get a point in Seville on October 12.

“First and foremost it’s a shame for Kieran,” Clarke said. “He got a really good move on loan to Sociedad, started really well and obviously picked up what looks like quite a significant injury.

“We will miss him but I know Kieran, he will work as hard as he can to get back as quickly as possible, and we will be there to support him, and hopefully we are waiting on the other side for him as well with some good news.

“The squad is strong, I believe I have good options. It’s nice to be able to call on people like Greg Taylor, who has started the season well with Celtic. Liam Cooper has come back to the squad as well, which gives me another option.”

Clarke devised his three-man central defence to fit Tierney inside wing-back Andy Robertson and does not have another central defender who can carry the ball forward like the Arsenal man.

Scotland took seven points from three Nations League games in September 2022 while playing a back four in the absence of the injured Tierney, and Clarke is considering his options.

“What you have to weigh up is whether you have time on the training pitch to change the team, to change the system,” said Clarke, whose team also face France in a friendly in Lille on October 17.

“This one is a little bit more difficult because it’s a Thursday match, so the first match is difficult in terms of changing the system.

“That’s not to say we won’t do it because we have done it before. If I feel it’s the right way to go, then we can change the system.

“We still have games this week and at the weekend. You have to wait and see which squad actually turns up, hopefully no more injuries. Once I’ve got everybody in camp, we will make a decision on how we are going to go.

“Then we will have two quite short training sessions to work on the tactical side of it, and we will make sure we get that right.

“I think we could easily slot back into it because most of the players play with a back four with their club, so it’s not as if you are asking them to do something they can’t do.

“They proved in that September week of the Nations League that they could adapt very quickly to a different system.

“It’s a system that we quite often change to within games, if we have to get after the game and maybe chase it a little bit. So it’s a system we can use.”

Clarke admitted he was “nowhere” with the possibility of Newcastle pair Harvey Barnes and Elliot Anderson being involved.

Whitley Bay-born Anderson last week indicated he wanted more time to consider his international future, having left the last Scotland camp after two days following his first call-up to the full squad.

England cap Barnes was recently reported to be considering a switch of allegiance but was last week ruled out for three months with a foot injury.

Clarke said: “I haven’t spoken to Harvey for a long time, so nothing on that one.

“Similar with Elliot, he left the last camp and I haven’t spoken to him since. I haven’t picked him for this camp and I move on and work with the players we have got.”

Clarke would not rule out picking Anderson again “if he doesn’t choose England” but added: “Listen, Elliot is a young man making his way in the game. He has got a big decision to make, international-wise, so let’s just give the boy a little bit of time and space to make that decision.”

The only other change sees Luton striker Jacob Brown replace Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland.

Clarke said: “I had a chat with Lawrence, no problems. It was just a decision I wanted to make for this camp.

“Obviously Lawrence was in the last camp but didn’t get any minutes on the pitch and I felt there could be a similar scenario this time.

“I also wanted to have a look at Jacob because he has started quite well at Luton, playing week in, week out in the Premier League.”

Russell Martin has insisted Southampton are through their “toughest period” of the season after beating Leeds 3-1.

Adam Armstrong’s classy double and Will Smallbone’s first league goal for Saints – all in the first half – helped end a four-game losing streak.

Pascal Struijk pulled one back for the visitors in the second half but Martin was thrilled to get back to winning ways.

The Saints boss said: “I’m really proud of the players. The feeling in the camp has been great considering the results we’ve had and they’ve gone all in today.

“We scored some goals of the highest quality and hopefully the fans enjoyed them and it gives the players energy.

“Hopefully that will be the toughest period we go through and the most difficult moments we go through in the season.

“We have learned a lot to come through it and to come through a team like Leeds, who will be up there at the end of the season.

“It will be a huge moment for us. The spirit, aggression and mentality of the team today was where we need to live.”

Saints were ahead after 104 seconds when Kyle Walker-Peters threaded through to Armstrong, before the forward deftly clipped over Illan Meslier.

Winger Kamaldeen Sulemana then set up Smallbone to divert in to the bottom corner and then fired across the box to allow Armstrong to fire in.

They were Armstrong’s sixth and seventh goals of the season.

“He’s been amazing and runs hard for the team,” said Martin, who played Armstrong on the right wing.

“He can play in a number of roles and the one at the moment really suits us.

“I told him he’d play there for a bit and he’s getting better and better.

“He is a threat wherever he plays and I trust him with whatever we ask him to do, and he does it.”

Leeds coach Daniel Farke kept his side in the dressing room until the last possible moment and his extra details worked 13 minutes after the restart.

A corner bobbled around the box before Struijk pulled the ball down on the swivel to poke home.

Farke said he remained calm during the break, adding: “I wanted to give the players the chance to show a reaction in the second half.

“I didn’t want to make two or three substitutions at half time and embarrass them, I didn’t get the feeling that two or three players were to blame.

“On 99 per cent of all cases as a manager that at half time being 3-0 down I would have thrown bottles and killed someone.

“Today I got the feeling that we had been unlucky and concentrated on how we could turn the game. I talked calmly about winning the second half – and I got the exact reaction I wanted.

“What decided the game was our defensive behaviour, it was not spot on like in the last four games – where we have four clean sheets.

“We needed to be more aware and awake in the decisive moments but apart from the goals I can’t remember a situation when Meslier had to make a save.

“Sometimes tiny little moments can make a big difference. When you are 3-0 down at half-time it is always difficult to return with the points.”

Goals from Adam Armstrong and Will Smallbone ended Southampton’s horror September and put them on course for a 3-1 victory over Leeds.

Armstrong needed just 104 seconds to chip Saints ahead before Smallbone’s low finish and another Armstrong effort – via a deflection – put the hosts in control.

Pascal Struijk pulled one back for Leeds but Southampton ended their four-match winless run and halted a six-game unbeaten stint for their West Yorkshire visitors.

Saints had not won in a dismal September to puncture their promotion ambitions but they started with a bang.

Kyle Walker-Peters spotted Adam Armstrong’s run in behind with a perfect through ball.

The attacker strode towards goal and then deftly clipped over Illan Meslier for his sixth of the season and ended Leeds’ 362 minutes without conceding.

Leeds attempted to hit back when Georginio Rutter drove in from the right flank and forced Gavin Bazunu into a full-length dive, and Sam Byram sliced wide.

But the visitors’ ascendancy was cut back down as they conceded twice in four minutes.

Kamaldeen Sulemana produced a first-half performance that brought back memories of Sadio Mane – and had a hand in both goals.

In the 31st minute he collected a ball from Stuart Armstrong, darted towards the box before standing up his defender and laying across the area for Smallbone.

The midfielder angled the shot perfectly across the face of the goal and into the bottom corner for his first league goal for Southampton.

In their next attack, Sulemana swung a low ball on the angle to fellow winger Adam Armstrong who made Bryam lose his footing twice before firing past Meslier via a deflection off Struijk .

Saints could have gone in at the break 4-0 up had Carlos Alcaraz’s back post header not been tipped over by the goalkeeper.

Leeds coach Daniel Farke kept his side in the dressing room until the last possible moment and his extra details worked 13 minutes after the restart.

A corner bobbled around the box before Struijk pulled the ball down on the swivel to poke home.

Daniel James fired wide and Joel Piroe stabbed straight at Bazunu as United threatened to turn things around.

But the clash petered out with a half-chance for Rutter as Saints won at home for just the second time this season to ease the pressure on Russell Martin.