- Home   > Â
- Football   > Â
- Premier League   > Â
- Calvert-Lewin on song as Leeds spanks tired Palace
Calvert-Lewin on song as Leeds spanks tired Palace
Leeds United moved six points clear of the Premier League's relegation zone after a 4-1 victory over a weary-looking Crystal Palace side.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin bagged a brace at Elland Road, while further strikes from Ethan Ampadu and Anton Stach completed a commanding win for Daniel Farke's side.
Palace, which made 11 changes from its UEFA Conference League clash with KuPS 48 hours earlier, was undone by two long Ampadu throws at the end of the first half.
The first glanced off Chris Richards in the 38th minute and enabled an unmarked Calvert-Lewin to beat Dean Henderson from close range. Jaka Bijol then flicked on the second for the in-form striker to nod home in first-half stoppage-time.
Ampadu made it 3-0 on the hour mark, poking home his first Premier League goal after Palace was slow to react to a second ball in the box.
The Eagles pulled a goal back in the 92nd minute when Justin Devenny calmly tucked home from the penalty spot after Lucas Perri fouled Christantus Uche in the box.
Devenny then headed a great opportunity against the post from close range shortly afterwards.
Leeds capitalised on that reprieve with the final action of the game, as Stach curled a delicious 20-yard free-kick beyond a flat-footed Henderson.
Palace lost successive Premier League games for the first time since April, and will need to find energy from somewhere by Wednesday (AEDT), when it faces another away trip, this time to league leader Arsenal for a Carabao Cup quarter-final.
Eagles boss Oliver Glasner described the performance as "embarrassing".
"Very disappointing performance today," he said. "[We] couldn't defend set-plays; honestly, it's embarrassing.
"[We] couldn't match their physicality today. Today is the first game [this season] we fully deserved to lose.
"They played man-to-man and we lost every single duel. We won one duel, and we got the penalty [from which Justin Devenny scored].
"When you lose all the duels, it's the basics, we didn't show the basics. We thought we could pass the ball, but we had no chance in the duels, and then you lose every single game.
"Everyone is disappointed, but it is definitely deserved. Leeds were the better side, they won every duel, every second ball.
"We will play a team [Arsenal] that is better than these guys at set-pieces, so if we can do that better and contain them – hopefully, in our low block and spring a counter-attack – then it will be good for us.
"But again, it is another tough game, so we have to learn quickly and move on."
Meanwhile, Leeds extended its unbeaten streak to four matches.
Calvert-Lewin scored for a fifth straight Premier League game – becoming the fourth Whites player to achieve the feat after Rod Wallace, Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink and Australia's Mark Viduka – and Daniel Farke demanded the in-form striker must now maintain his levels.
"I have made my feelings clear that he is one of the best English strikers in this league," the Leeds boss said. "Quality players have to show consistency and play an outstanding season.
"The season is not finished, he wants to score many more goals. We are all happy we have him with us, but he has to keep going."
"In the six-yard box is where I need to be," Calvert-Lewin said. "When you're in a good moment, the ball starts dropping for you and that's where I'm at.
"The belief stays the same. The belief I have in myself hasn't changed. I want to give my best for the team and continue playing well.
"It's a big result for us. We didn't want to undo our good work over recent weeks. We're taking it game by game and focusing on what we control."



































