Pablo Hernandez struck late for Leeds United yesterday at the Liberty Stadium, with Marcelo Bielsaâs side edging past Swansea City and moving within touching distance of the Premier League. Â
Leeds retained their place at the top of the Championship table after West Bromâs draw with Blackburn Rovers and, despite Brentfordâs winning streak continuing against Derby County, there is still a six-point buffer to third with three to play.
It was tense in Swansea and it wasnât until the 89th minute that Leeds finally found a way past Freddie Woodman. It had to be Hernandez â the former Swan himself and man who has inspired Leeds on so many darker days â finding the winner on such an important day.
Four points are now needed from three fixtures, with Leedsâ focus not able to drift any further than Thursdayâs meeting with Barnsley. If results go their way earlier in the week that could well be the one.
However, before attention drifts onto the Tykes, we assess what we saw from Leeds at the Liberty Stadiumâ¦
Not the prettiest, but so important
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Last Thursday we saw Leeds put Stoke City to the sword, with Bielsaâs side 5-0 winners against the Championship strugglers.
This was never going to be a repeat and Swansea are a much tougher opponent; they are chasing the play-offs and have a lot of talented individuals that Steve Cooper is getting a tune out of.
For 89 minutes yesterday, it was a scrappy and tense affair, with many Leeds fans beginning to accept the fact it might just be a point from the fixture. Not a bad result, but not enough to put Leeds on the brink.
Patrick Bamford had forced Woodman into decent saves, Jack Harrison blazed into an empty stand and even Hernandez, on the back of his half-time introduction, was struggling to get things going in the same way he had against Stoke.
However, all that scrappy and tired play was forgotten on 89 minutes. Luke Ayling burst down the right, picked up a return ball off Helder Costa and squared for Hernandez despite an awkward deflection.
The 35-year-old controlled and finished off Woodmanâs post. Scrappy? Yes, but worth its weight in gold.
Redemption for Hernandez
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One of the images from last season that turns your stomach are those of Pablo Hernandez in tears against Brentford as Leedsâ automatic promotion push began to fade. Then, in the play-offs, he wept as Derby celebrated wildly after reaching Wembley.
For Hernandez, at 35, he might have thought that was his last chance of promotion with Leeds and a Premier League swansong. Nobody knew what this season would hold.
Ultimately, heâs been part of a squad thatâs dusted themselves down and gone again. His influence on the side hasnât been as great as we saw in 2018/19, but heâs finding his best at the most important time of the season.
Overall it is eight goals and eight assists this season, but since the restart heâs scored twice and created two more, with his mission to guide Leeds back to the Premier League.
This goal in Swansea was so timely and, although it wasnât the type of pure strike Hernandez can produce, his celebration told you just how important it was.
Forget the Brentford tears and the world falling apart around him against Derby; this is his redemption.
Itâs not over yet, just ask Bielsa
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A win over Swansea to move back six points clear of third, with only nine points to play for, is huge and across a lot of the Championship itâs widely expected Leeds will get it done from here.
However, their own head-coach was quizzed post-match on how heâs enjoying the run-in, with Bielsa retaining his focus and insisting he will not relax until the job is done. Even then, you feel he means in terms of the title.
Itâs the perfect attitude to have and despite the euphoria of a late, late winner against Swansea, itâs exactly the message the Leeds fans wanted to hear from Bielsa.
This is a club thatâs been battered and bruised for 16 years. The fans carry those wounds and if anyone can throw away this position, it is this club.
Itâs close and it might even be wrapped up on Thursday, but until thereâs a definite outcome, Bielsa will not rest.