Ben Fisher was our man at Molineux this evening. His verdict on a rip-roaring night is in. Thanks for reading this MBM. Nighty night!
Bruno Lage, whose side have missed out on the opportunity to get into the top six, is asked by Sky if the red card was the key moment of the game. “No, the key moment was the first 45 minutes. That’s the positive. Eleven vs 11 we were the better team. I think [the sending off] was both players going for the ball. I have nothing more to say about it. I am proud of my players. The second goal, one man from Leeds was on the floor, and we were more worried about him than his team-mates. So we have to learn. I am very happy with Trincao. He did very well, one assist and one goal. My target is to play the way we played 11 against 11. We should have scored more goals and kill the game. We don’t have that instinct in us. But my positive was the first 45 minutes!”
More from Marsch, on the red card ... “I thought it was clear. There were a lot of wild actions in the match. For me he went into the play reckless, so for sure it was a second yellow. That’s my belief.”
... and Bamford’s injury. “He’s OK. He felt the same as he did before the Norwich game, and we felt we could get 45 minutes. He was crushed because he really wants to help the team and knows how important he is. Klich got concussion but will be OK. Illan has a hip bruise, it was almost like an NFL hit, and Llorente ... I think they’re all OK. We’ve got a two-week break that’s come at the right time.” That interview took a while: Leeds had so many injuries tonight that Marsch had to rack his brains to remember them all!
Jesse Marsch talks to Sky. “We were disappointed with the first half. But Wolves is good. They’re a good team. It gets really hard to contain them. At half time, we had three injuries, we had to make three subs, we’re lucky with the concussion rule, and then we just challenged them to believe and give in. We made a couple of tactical adjustments and didn’t feel sorry for ourselves. It’s a special group, they’ve been through a lot. They work their butts off every day. They’ve adapted well, they’ve accepted me really well, I couldn’t ask more. It’s been a real pleasure and the key for us is to continue to have a strong mentality, because we’re not done.”
Leeds hero Luke Ayling talks to Sky Sports. “It’s some buzz, you know! Coming in two down at half time after a sloppy goal, the boys seemed a bit down. But in the second half we showed a bit of character. The sending off was a massive game-changer and the boys dug in. A massive three points. Huge! We were told at half time to carry on going. We got in some great positions in the first half, and maybe should have taken one of the chances before their first goal, but that sums up our season. It’s just a massive result, the boys are buzzing. If [the red card] happens against us, it would seem harsh, but we’ll take it! After the second we went a bit flat but we got the goal in the end. I tried to do the Robbie Keane, but couldn’t land the cartwheel. I’ll have to work on that! Patrick Bamford has worked so hard to get back, the boys are gutted for him, but he’s a great character and hopefully he’ll be back before too long. He’s not too down. We have to keep building on these results. We’ve got a nice break now.”
TL;DR version: That was an absolutely wild, nonsensical, outrageous, unpredictable and simply brilliant game of football. One hopes Marcelo Bielsa was watching on TV somewhere. He’ll have enjoyed that one.
... though Wolves fans will respectfully disagree, of course. Their team were much the better side until Raul Jimenez was sent off for a second yellow soon after the restart, clattering into Illan Meslier when searching for a game-killing third. At which point everything changed. Leeds had been all over the show at the back, and looked in a world of bother, especially in the wake of Everton’s late win against Newcastle last night. But, belief suddenly restored, they seized the day with a quick-fire double, and a late spurt of energy was enough to force the injury-time winner. What a show of resolve and inner steel from Leeds, who celebrate wildly! They deserve to enjoy that, given the awful luck they suffered with injuries in the first half. Whatever Jesse Marsch said at half time - no doubt involving the words eff and jeff - had one heck of an effect. All of a sudden, the future looks a little brighter for Leeds United!
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Leeds | 30 | -33 | 29 |
| 17 | Everton | 27 | -18 | 25 |
| 18 | Watford | 29 | -26 | 22 |
| 19 | Burnley | 27 | -16 | 21 |
| 20 | Norwich | 29 | -45 | 17 |
FULL TIME: Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-3 Leeds United
A huge three points for Leeds against ten-man Wolves ... and given their appalling luck with injuries, you can’t begrudge them a thing!
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90 min +9: Some more loss of noggin as James makes good down the left and is bowled over near the corner flag. He takes a while to get up. Coady comes over and gives him the what-for. It all calms down quickly enough.
90 min +7: A long ball down the Leeds right nearly releases James and Rodrigo, Wolves having committed everyone upfield. James goes too early and the flag goes up for offside. Wolves hoick it up the other end, but Ait-Nouri flies the ball out for a goal kick. Leeds so close now to an astonishing comeback win that could go such a long way to salvaging their season!
90 min +5: Wolves throw on Silva and Chiquinho for Jonny and Dendoncker, then fling the kitchen sink at Leeds. Trincao sends a rising shot goalwards. Klaesson, thrown into the lion’s den this evening with neither whip nor chair, tips away magnificently!
90 min +3: Forshaw is booked after getting involved with Moutinho. Then it all kicks off between the two benches! Marsch, smiling in the middle of the melee, manages to split it up before hands are thrown. That looked likely for a split second.
90 min +2: Absolute bedlam in the celebrations too. A few old-fashioned roly-polies. Straight out of the 1966 World Cup. What a turnaround!
GOAL! Wolves 2-3 Leeds (Ayling 90+1)
The free kick from the right is hit long. Ayling keeps it alive at the far stick, heading back into the mixer. It leads to bedlam in the box. Boly can’t head clear. Struijk gets involved. The ball breaks back to Ayling, who takes a touch on the left-hand corner of the six-yard box then slams home!
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90 min: James is bowled over by Saiss, just to the right of the Wolves box. A free kick in a very dangerous position. Before it’s taken, an announcement: there will be eight added minutes. Of course there will.
88 min: A huge chance from the next corner, as Harrison loops left to right towards Cresswell, who, unchallenged, attempts to guide a header into the top right. Just over.
87 min: One corner leads to another, which leads to Dallas aiming a power curler towards the top left. Sa tips over spectacularly. Leeds are finally asking some more questions!
86 min: ... so having said that, Leeds nearly score, Harrison scampering clear down the left and rolling inside for James, who prepares to sidefoot home from six yards. A look of sheer astonishment spreads across James’ coupon as Saiss slides in at the last minute to poke away for a corner. What an intervention!
85 min: Wolves have done well to settle since the shock of Leeds’ quick one-two. Hwang wins a free kick out on the right. Moutinho curls it in. Saiss sends a header straight at Klaesson. At the moment, the ten men look more likely to find a winner.
83 min: A shot of Bamford, smiling again. Nice to see after the mental turmoil of his first half.
82 min: Trincao drops deep and quarterbacks a pass from the right towards Dendoncker, who sends a soft header wide left. A reminder for Leeds that the ten men aren’t finished yet.
80 min: It’s all a bit scrappy with Leeds pressing hard. The visitors have enjoyed 75 percent possession during the last five minutes, but are doing little with it. What price a precious winner?
78 min: Podence is replaced by Hwang.
76 min: James is found in acres down the right. He’s miles offside, but the flag doesn’t go up. James wins a corner ... and then the flag goes up. What is the point of waiting? Moutinho must be asking that question, because during the move he copped a whack on the back of the leg from Greenwood, who certainly isn’t afraid to put himself about. Thankfully there’s no serious injury and Moutinho is good to continue.
74 min: Cresswell comes sliding in on Ait-Nouri at warp speed. He tosses his opponent into the air like a pancake. You’ve seen reds flashed for less, but it’s just a yellow. The resulting free kick is lumped into the mixer. Klaesson does well to punch clear from the middle of a comic-book cloud with boots and fists poking out of it. Boly goes down, and the Wolves fans want a penalty, but they’re not getting one, and to be fair the home side don’t make any real claim.
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72 min: A bit of space for James down the right. He crosses low for Harrison, whose shot from ten yards is blocked out for a corner by Boly. The flag then goes up for offside. Everyone looks miffed for various reasons.
71 min: Forshaw breaks into the Wolves box down the left. He reaches the byline and stands one up into the middle, but there’s nobody there in white. Now it’s Wolves’ turn to breathe a sigh of relief.
69 min: Leeds being Leeds, having got back into the game, they allow Ait-Nouri to romp into acres down the left. Could the ten men retake the lead? Not this time: Ait-Nouri can’t find anyone in the middle with an overhit cross, and the danger is gone.
68 min: This is mayhem! Rodrigo is booked for disappearing into the crowd. VAR has a look at the challenge that floored Dallas - a really poor studs-up challenge on the knee from Moutinho - but doesn’t see it as a red. It really could have been.
GOAL! Wolves 2-2 Leeds (Rodrigo 66)
This is astonishing! Leeds are level! Dallas is down injured, but Leeds play on anyway. James, meeting a cross from the right, loops a cushioned volley over Sa and off the crossbar. He tries again. Blocked. Saiss slices high in the air. Greenwood beats him to the dropping ball down the inside-right channel, with Sa on walkabout, and flicks to Rodrigo, who fires home from a tight angle on the right! Coady tries to clear but can only run the ball into the net.
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65 min: It’s all good. Jesse Marsch celebrates wildly!
64 min: There’s a VAR check for offside. Unbearable tension for Leeds, for whom this means so much.
GOAL! Wolves 2-1 Leeds (Harrison 63)
Koch sends a diagonal pass towards Ayling on the right. Ayling bursts into the Wolves box, Ait-Nouri having misjudged the flight and out of the game. He lashes a diagonal shot across Sa and off the base of the left-hand post. The ball rebounds to Ayling, who has another go. Coady clears off the line. It’s third time lucky for Leeds as Harrison slams home. Leeds are back in it!
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62 min: Podence sends a speculative effort straight at a grateful Klaesson. A good sighter for the Leeds substitute keeper.
61 min: Leeds, buoyed by having an extra man, have stepped up the pace. Baby steps.
59 min: Someone tries to tie themselves to the frame of Sa’s goal. It’s the new craze. They’re stopped just in time and carted off by The Man. The game continues.
57 min: Confirmation that Martinez was sent off having received a second yellow card for an out-of-control challenge.
55 min: A nice touch as Jimenez apologises to Meslier before he departs, the pair embracing, no hard feelings. These things happen in sport. The keeper can’t continue, and Leeds are forced into making their fourth and final substitution of the evening, Kristoffer Klaesson coming on for his Premier League debut.
RED CARD: Jimenez (Wolves)
53 min: Kevin Friend sends Jimenez packing. Not sure whether that’s a straight red or just a second yellow. Jimenez was certainly at fault for the collision, arriving in second place, but it looked more of an accident than anything premeditated. Still, out of control and all that. At least he’s back up and still got his health.
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52 min: Both benches are jabbering at each other as the players get treatment. Wolves will understandably be worried about Jimenez, given all he’s been through, and the young Leeds keeper took an awful whack as well. It’s a free kick to Leeds ... and it could be trouble for Jimenez when he gets up.
50 min: Another long pass, this time down the right, and on this occasion it’s Jimenez versus Meslier, who again races out of his area to clear. Meslier manages to whack clear, just in time. Jimenez gets there a split second later, and both crash into each other, and then to the ground. Ouch.
49 min: Coady rakes a long pass down the right and nearly frees Trincao. Simple as that. And people say the 1980s did nothing for Wolves. Leeds are fortunate that Meslier is their only player wise to the danger, the keeper racing out of his box and blootering clear.
48 min: Rodrigo barges Trincao to the ground in the midfield. This is a scrappy start to the second half.
47 min: Podence gets a bit of revenge on Forshaw by clattering him out on the right touchline. He’s given a free kick away in a dangerous position, though, and is thankful to Sa for punching it clear with confidence.
46 min: Forshaw should be booked for a fairly agricultural slide on Podence, but gets away with one.
Wolves get the second half started. No changes. Saiss presumably has fully recovered from the whack he got upside the head.
Half-time postbag. “I think I remember reading about Jesse Marsch giving an expletive-laden half-time talk a couple of Champions League seasons ago when he was with Red Bull Something or Other,” writes Peter Oh. “I bet he’ll be cussing up a special storm with so many players concussed.” Family warning: the following clip contains both effing and jeffing.
Half-time entertainment.
HALF TIME: Wolves 2-0 Leeds
A sliver of good news for Leeds: the 56-minute first half, in which they’ve lost two goals and three injured players, is finally over. It never rains but it pours.
Photograph: Michael Mayhew/Sportsphoto/Allstar
Updated
GOAL! Wolves 2-0 Leeds (Trincao 45+11)
Struijk is booked after misjudging a bouncing ball down the right and clipping Jimenez on the heel. Wolves take the free kick quickly, releasing Podence down the right. Podence pulls back for Trincao, who whistles a low threaded drive through a crowded box and into the bottom left. Most members of the Leeds defence were looking the other way when the free kick was taken! What a fiasco!
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45 min +9: Wolves should be two up. Podence skitters down the left and centres low for Jimenez, who takes a fresh-air swipe under pressure from Dallas. The ball breaks to Jonny, who sends a rising screamer towards goal. It’s heading in, but Meslier tips over spectacularly. Nothing comes of the corner.
45 min +8: Scrub that. Dr Murray is a quack. Klich is replaced by concussion sub Cresswell.
45 min +7: Klich is up and about. It doesn’t look like a concussion problem. He’s off down the tunnel to get his eyebrow stitched up. Leeds will end the half with ten men by the looks of it.
45 min +5: This half is jinxed. Yet another injury, this time to Klich, who has been accidentally head-butted by his own man Koch.
45 min +3: Leeds are now shipping chances with alarming regularity. Struijk fails to deal with a high ball down the Wolves left, misjudging the bounce, and suddenly Jimenez is clear in the box! He has to score, or at least work Meslier, but attempts to float a chip over the keeper. He gets the angles all wrong and the ball bounces apologetically wide of the right-hand post.
45 min +2: Trincao has been magnificent since coming on, and now he’s this close to adding a spectacular goal to his assist. He’s 25 yards out, and spots Meslier a little out of position, well off his line. He sends a curling shot over the keeper and towards the top right. The ball batters the inside of the post and flies back out. What an effort!
45 min +1: The first of eight extra first-half minutes passes by without incident.
45 min: Jonny launches long down the right. Jimenez chests down and for a second looks to have the beating of the last man Koch, but a gentle shoulder barge sends the striker flying. Wolves and their fans want a free kick, but they’re not getting one.
43 min: Jimenez spins away from Struijk but takes a heavy touch. He stretches for the ball and studs Koch on the knee. He’s lucky he’s just seeing yellow.
41 min: Greenwood takes the free kick and sends it witlessly into the Wolves wall. Another reason why Leeds will be cursing Raphinha’s positive Covid result.
40 min: Rodrigo spins cutely down the inside-left channel and is clipped by Moutinho, just to the left of the Wolves D. Before the free kick can be taken, there’s another injury for Leeds to deal with. Llorente has hurt his back and can’t continue. Off he goes, to be replaced by Koch.
38 min: Trincao robs Klich, 30 yards out. He can’t quite find Jimenez in the middle with his cross. Leeds eventually clear, but they’re looking shambolic at the back again.
37 min: Saiss looks a little more lively now, as he gets involved in a crisp passing sequence down the Wolves left.
35 min: Saiss is given the all-clear to continue, though he’s still trying to shake his head clear. He’s surely not long for this game. There’s going to be plenty of extra time appended to this half.
33 min: Saiss looks really groggy. If it’s taking this long for the medical staff to check, you have to wonder if he should continue.
31 min: Rodrigo drags a shot wide right from distance. Then Saiss goes down again, having really felt that clumsy clump from Greenwood. On come the physios again. A good evening for these guys if they’re on piece work.
30 min: Greenwood is fortunate not to go into the book for an overly enthusiastic barge on Saiss that involved elbow and head.
29 min: A heartbreaking shot of poor Patrick Bamford on the bench. He’s in tears. Another setback for a player who has suffered so much already this season. Fingers crossed things will look brighter for him in the morning.
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27 min: Leeds were very open there in the Bielsa style. These things take time.
GOAL! Wolves 1-0 Leeds (Jonny 26)
What an instant impact by Trincao! He tears off down the right wing, reaches the byline, and pulls back for Jonny, who sweeps a clinical right-foot shot across Meslier and into the bottom left. Meslier had no chance!
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25 min: Injury continues to bedevil this game. Neves can’t continue, and he’s replaced by Trincao.
23 min: Actually, that might be another ankle problem for Bamford. He limps off distraught, and is consoled by his team-mates on the bench. On comes 20-year-old Sam Greenwood to take his place.
21 min: Bamford, who has been moving gingerly for the last couple of minutes, stretches to reach a long pass down the middle. He can’t control, the flag goes up for offside, and Bamford goes down having pulled something. The poor guy can’t catch a break at the moment.
20 min: Rodrigo swings a delightful curling pass in from the right. The ball drops over Coady, taking the defender out of the game, and falls to James. One good touch and he’s one on one with the keeper. That touch evades James, however, and Sa is able to clear.
19 min: Good news for Wolves ... perhaps. Neves is able to get up and jog off the pitch, though he requires further treatment. The hosts will continue with ten men for now.
18 min: The influential Neves doesn’t look to be in pain, but he’s shaking his head quite a lot. Worrying for Wolves. He was bundled over by Klich a couple of minutes earlier, but the challenge was of the garden variety. Hopefully it’s just a stinger he can run off.
16 min: Neves is down holding is right leg. On come the physios.
14 min: Jonny crosses from the right. The ball’s slightly behind Jimenez, who adjusts his position in mid air and attempts the spectacular with a bicycle kick. It’s a wild effort, but full marks for ambition. That would have been one heck of a goal.
13 min: Wolves are getting sloppy. Saiss gifts a pass to Ayling, who has a lot of space down the inside right to run into. He slips in James to his right. James overhits his cross, with Bamford waiting to head home at the far post.
11 min: Neves is pressured into shipping possession in his own half and suddenly Bamford races into space down the inside-right channel. He enters the box, gives Sa the eyes to send him the wrong way ... but drags his low shot inches wide of the bottom right. He should have scored.
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10 min: Incidentally, in the build-up to the Rodrigo chance, Boly clumsily clattered into Klich and was booked for his clumsiness.
8 min: Podence cuts in from the left and has a dig. His low drive swerves this way and that, and Meslier does well to readjust while going down and claims well.
6 min: Ait-Nouri robs Llorente down the left and jigs along the byline with great elan. He pulls back for Neves, who should shoot first time from 12 yards but decides to take an extra touch and is crowded out. Leeds counter at speed through James down the left. He whips low and hard towards the near post, where Rodrigo sticks out a leg only to deflect inches wide. This is rip-roaring entertainment.
4 min: Podence diddles around outside the Leeds box but can’t work a way through. This game has started at a rare old zip.
3 min: James latches onto a loose Wolves pass, 30 yards from goal, and launches a shot at goal. It’s always going over, but not by miles. Decent enough effort.
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1 min: A bright start to this game, with James whipping in from the Leeds left, forcing Sa to stoop to claim, then Jimenez making a nuisance of himself down the inside-right channel, nearly opening the visitors up with a fancy spin. More, please!
Leeds get the ball rolling ... but only after everyone takes the knee. Applause rings round Molineux. There’s no room for racism. Challenge it, report it, change it.
The teams are out! Wolverhampton Wanderers are in their old gold, while Leeds wear Real Madrid-inspired meringue white. An old-school rave atmosphere at Molineux. Top and banging. We’ll be coming up in a couple of minutes.
Earlier this season ...
Sky’s Friday Night Football are going big on long-form free-jazz chats this evening, and now they have an informal natter with Wolves manager Bruno Lage and his younger brother Luis Nascimento ... and what a charmer Bruno is, opening with this gambit: “Thank you for your invitation,” he tells Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher. “It is a big pleasure to be here because we [gesticulates towards Luis] have three years difference and grew up together seeing you guys playing, and it’s like a dream come true to be here competing in the Premier League and talking to you guys.” This guy is a smooth operator.
He goes on to explain Luis’s role as Professional Development Coach. “We share our thoughts since the beginning ... we are on the same page in a lot of things ... for me it’s a big pleasure not because he’s my brother but because he’s very professional and the way he sees the game is the way I see the game ... everyone can give me their opinions ... you can say the opposite because the worst thing you say in one moment can be the best thing another day ... we are not trying to do a revolution but evolution.”
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The new Leeds boss Jesse Marsch has a good old chat with Sky Sports. “In the last phase of the game against Norwich we kept a strong mentality, and that’s why we won ... It’s a fun team to work with, they’ve been through a lot ... we want to fight for our fans and make them proud.” He also reports that Liam Cooper is “closer to playing than Kalvin Phillips but we’ll see what happens, certainly they won’t be 30-minute players, maybe 10 to 15 and see if they can help us at the end, but the morale of having them around, we need those guys, so it’s good to have them back.”
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Wolves make three changes to the team named for the 1-0 win at Everton. Daniel Podence, Willy Boly and Rayan Ait-Nouri replace Hwang Hee-chan, Max Kilman and Marcal, all of whom drop to the bench.
Leeds make just one change to their XI after the dramatic 2-1 win over Norwich at Elland Road. Raphinha has tested positive for Covid-19, so he’s replaced by Jack Harrison. The big news, however, is that Patrick Bamford has passed a fitness test after being subbed at half-time last weekend, while the influential and much-missed pair of Kalvin Phillips and Liam Cooper return from long-term injury and take up spots on the bench.
The teams
Wolverhampton Wanderers: Jose Sa, Boly, Coady, Saiss, Jonny, Neves, Joao Moutinho, Ait Nouri, Dendoncker, Daniel Podence, Jimenez.
Subs: Marcal, Trincao, Silva, Chiquinho, Ruddy, Kilman, Gomes, Hwang, Cundle.
Leeds United: Meslier, Ayling, Llorente, Struijk, Dallas, Klich, Forshaw, James, Rodrigo, Harrison, Bamford.
Subs: Koch, Cooper, Klaesson, Phillips, Gelhardt, Cresswell, Summerville, Greenwood, Kenneh.
Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire).
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Preamble
Welcome to our coverage of the Major Frank Buckley derby, as all the kids aren’t calling it. Buckley was Wolves manager between 1927 and 1944, and Leeds boss from 1948 to 1953. When at Wolves he discovered Billy Wright; when at Leeds he unearthed John Charles. Heady days, when you could have a fag at half-time while ripped to the tits on monkey glands. We’ll not see the like again.
Anyway, Wolves could do with the three points this evening to keep their hopes of European football alive. Leeds by contrast are really desperate for them, hoping to follow up last weekend’s last-gasp win over Norwich with another win that would keep fellow relegation scrappers Everton, Watford, Burnley and the aforementioned Canaries at arm’s length.
Wolves are in fine fettle after back-to-back wins over Watford and Everton. Leeds meanwhile are buoyed by the possible return of Kalvin Phillips and Liam Cooper, and Patrick Bamford being in contention after another injury scare last week. Nicely set up for a big Friday night out. Kick off at Molineux is at 8pm BST. It’s on!
