West Brom 0 Leeds United 5: Five-star Whites batter Baggies after comical Christmas gift

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A RAMPANT Leeds United recorded a second Premier League win in the space of three days with Tuesday evening's 5-0 romp at fellow top-flight new boys West Brom.

The Whites were handed a late Christmas gift via a comical Romaine Sawyers own goal and United then ran riot with Gjanni Alioski, Jack Harrison, Rodrigo and Raphinha all on the scoresheet.

The victory took Leeds into 11th and on to 23 points for the season from 16 games played after what was their seventh victory back in the country's top flight.

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Leeds made a bright start and the Whites were gifted a ninth-minute opener when Sawyers made a blind back pass to 'keeper Sam Johnstone who had moved off his line and could only look on as part of a comical own goal.

RAMPANT: Leeds United celebrate going 4-0 up at West Brom through record signing Rodrigo, centre. Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images.RAMPANT: Leeds United celebrate going 4-0 up at West Brom through record signing Rodrigo, centre. Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images.
RAMPANT: Leeds United celebrate going 4-0 up at West Brom through record signing Rodrigo, centre. Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images.

Mateusz Klich then almost picked out Patrick Bamford from a flowing Whites attack but United then needed a fine clearance from Stuart Dallas to clear a dangerous cross from Darnell Furlong.

United then survived a VAR check for a possible penalty from the corner as Rodrigo wrestled with Callum Robinson and Kalvin Phillips then saw an effort from distance saved at the other end.

Leeds were dominating and Harrison cut inside from the left shortly before the half hour mark but blazed his effort wide.

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But from a similar position, Alioski produced a stunning finish when seizing upon a Baggies clearance to rifle a shot past Johnstone to double the Whites advantage in the 31st minute.

Leeds were rampant and just five minutes later the Whites bagged a third when Harrison produced a neat finish after a lovely one-two with Bamford as part of a beautiful flowing attack.

West Brom looked to respond and Furlong blazed an opportunity over the bar with Alioski off the pitch having treatment to a cut on his face.

But from their very next attack, Leeds bagged their fourth when another flowing move was finished off by a deflected shot from Rodrigo from the edge of the box.

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Only a decent save from Johnstone then denied Raphinha a Leeds fifth shortly before the break and Baggies boss Sam Allardyce had already left for the changing rooms shortly before the half-time whistle.

Leeds continued where the left off in the second half with a Bamford shot deflected wide though Meslier was then forced to make amends for a terrible pass out of defence to deny Johnstone at point-blank range.

Yet United still weren't done and from another flowing attack, Raphinha cut inside from the right before unleashing a gem of a strike into the top left corner with still 18 minutes left after fine work from Dallas and substitute Jamie Shackleton.

Luke Ayling then sent a flick narrowly over the bar from a corner before Bamford's fierce strike from an Alioski cut back was also deflected over.

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Helder Costa and Pablo Hernandez were also introduced from the bench as Rodrigo and Raphinha were taken off with Klich the player withdrawn for Shackleton.

Despite being 5-0 up, the Whites continued to pile on the pressure and Harrison's cross/shot flew narrowly wide.

From a rare Baggies attack, Robinson was then presented with an opening but sliced his effort into the empty stands.

It summed up second-bottom West Brom's night but United's fans will only wish they could have been in those stands to watch their five-star Whites.

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West Brom: Johnstone, Furlong, Ajayi, O'Shea, Peltier, Gallagher, Sawyers, Robinson, Phillips (Ivanovic 46), Diangana (Krovinivic 73), Grant (Pereira 61). Subs not used: Button, Kipre, Harper, Grosicki, Austin.

Leeds United: Meslier, Dallas, Ayling, Struijk, Alioski, Phillips, Klich (Shackleton 58), Raphinha (Costa 81), Harrison, Rodrigo (Hernandez 71), Bamford. Subs not used: Casilla, Jenkins, Casey, Davis, Roberts, Poveda.

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