Marcelo Bielsa and Leeds United ended West Bromwich Albion’s unbeaten start to the Championship season, with Ezgjan Alioski’s first-half goal enough for a 1-0 win.  

Leeds entered this on the back of a 1-0 reverse to Charlton Athletic, but sank Slaven Bilic’s side in a nervy contest.

Last season this fixture had a rapid start, with Pablo Hernandez opening the scoring within seconds – setting Leeds up for a 4-0 victory against a promotion rival.

There would be a slower start at Elland Road this evening, but it was still lively.

Mateusz Klich and Patrick Bamford both had efforts, with Jack Harrison heavily involved. Kyle Bartley was also fortunate after blocking a ball and drawing big handball claims, with Leeds bright, as they often are in-front of this boisterous crowd.

West Brom weren’t without threat, though, with Bilic’s attacking midfielders, Matheus Pereira, Grady Diangana and Matt Phillips, quick to pounce on Leeds’ mistakes.

Liam Cooper was forced off feeling the effects of a late Hal Robson-Kanu challenge, Gaetano Berardi replacing him.

However, despite that change and a flurry of yellow cards threatening to spoil the flow of the game, Leeds got a grip of things.

Helder Costa and Mateusz Klich led a break down Leeds’ right on 38 minutes, with the Whites working the ball left to Alioski.

After a brief moment of Leeds looking like they’d blown the chance, the left-back rifled an effort across Sam Johnstone into the right corner, giving Bielsa’s side lift-off.

Pereira threatened to hit back the following minute, forcing work out of Kiko Casilla, but Leeds would finish the opening 45 minutes strongest.

Another good opening saw Bamford fail to turn a goal-bound effort in, with Johnstone pulling off a stunning save to deny both Leeds’ No.9 and Costa. It should’ve been 2-0 and Elland Road was on edge wondering whether one goal would be enough.

Bielsa was forced to shuffle his pack again at the break, Tyler Roberts replacing Jamie Shackleton, who had picked up a hamstring problem.

Bilic’s side started the second-half livelier, but Bamford and Costa were offering Leeds an outlet, with the latter twisting and turning, almost carving an opening on 53 minutes.

Pereira was seemingly trying on his own to get Albion back on terms; firing across goal and then narrowly wide from a free-kick.

Bilic turned to Kenneth Zohore and Filip Krovinović in a bid to assist his playmaker, as Leeds wasted a good opportunity through Roberts.

Costa forced Johnstone into another save on 65 minutes, with Klich’s soft rebound blocked.

Pereira’s mission to get Albion a goal continued, as Casilla saved a low effort. The game had a real edge now approaching the final 20 minutes, the type you get when two promotion rivals go head-to-head.

Bielsa and Carlos Corberan were booked for their antics on the bench, with Bilic up and down the touchline encouraging his side.

Elland Road was tense as the Whites aimed to see this out, with Bielsa seemingly the same, hooking Roberts and bringing on Ayling. Subbing his half-time change.

The tension grew, but Harrison forced Johnstone into action once more, with Klich again soft with his rebound.

The Baggies came again, with Leeds throwing bodies at the ball in a bid to hold onto their lead. Zohore forced Casilla to reach and save, with over 34,000 in Elland Road with hearts in their mouths.

Bamford battled hard to give Leeds an outlet. No goal, but bags of effort that Bielsa loves.

As four minutes were added Bilic was furious, and will have been even more so when Zohore blasted an effort into the South Stand.

And, Leeds managed to see things out in a fashion they’d failed to do against Derby County last time they were at Elland Road.

It might not have been as pretty as when they dismantled West Brom earlier in 2019, but they are promotion rivals once more and this was a big three points for Leeds, moving back to the top of the table for 24 hours at least and ending the Championship's only unbeaten start.

FULL-TIME: Leeds United 1-0 West Bromwich Albion.