It took nearly 80 minutes and an impressive team goal for Leeds United to break the deadlock at Pride Park and end 2024 atop the Championship.
Unchanged following a 2-1 win over West Brom on Boxing Day, Derby put in a battling performance, and though they couldn’t earn a scalp, Paul Warne’s side left their biggest crowd of the year with plenty of positives to take.
After a difficult afternoon at Elland Road just 22 days ago, the Rams have looked a different side, but the match started in much the same way as the one in West Yorkshire.
Again, Derby were showing Daniel Farke’s side too much respect in the early stages, their 4-2-3-1 becoming a 5-3-2 out of possession as Kayden Jackson dropped to left wing back.
Early chances fell to Mateo Joseph, who fired wide, and Largie Ramazani, whose effort was blocked by Nat Phillips.
Leeds regularly swarmed forwards, but Derby worked hard to limit their chances. It took until the 28th minute for Jacob Widell Zetterström to be worked with the visitors playing through the middle to find Joseph, who was denied by the Sweden International at full stretch.
The Rams failed to have a shot in the first half, their best chance coming on the half hour when Kayden Jackson’s cross from the left so nearly looped in at the back post.
Despite Kane Wilson appearing to have been fouled on the edge of the Leeds box, the visitors were allowed to counter down Derby’s right, much to the frustration of Paul Warne. Fortunately for the Rams, Brenden Aaronson scooped his effort over the bar in the 36th minute.
And a crucial 43rd minute block from Phillips preserved Derby’s clean sheet going into the break as he stopped Joseph’s cut back from reaching former Ram Jayden Bogle for a tap-in.
Leeds came out of the blocks quickly at the start of the second half, firing a couple of early warning shots.
First, Aaronson was denied from 10 yards by a huge stop from Zetterström, before Bogle found Joseph baring down on goal with a sumptuous ball from the right, only for the Spaniard to fire over the bar.
From here, the Rams grew into the game, Phillips nodding Kenzo Goudmijn’s free kick wide to register their first shot of the game in the 52nd minute.
Derby were now looking a good match for Leeds, moving the ball well, and finally hit the target on the hour mark, when Callum Elder floated a corner onto the head of Curtis Nelson at the back post. But the defender was denied by a strong left hand from Illan Meslier.
Substitute Corey Blackett-Taylor saw his effort blocked in the 72nd minute before substitutes of the visitors’ own led the counter charge. Manor Solomon played a beautiful pass from the left to Dan James through the middle, who was denied by another good save from Zetterström, before Ethan Ampadu headed wide from the resulting corner.
The winning goal was one for the end-of-season highlights reel, smart rotations and countless passes eventually leading to Brenden Aaronson being played in and placing the ball into the bottom right corner.
With just over 11 minutes to play, Leeds had finally beaten Zetterström with a goal more than worthy of winning the game
Analysis: Depth the difference
As the clock ticked down and Leeds brought on fresh legs with more trickery in their lockers, it felt ever clearer that this could be the deciding factor.
With Daniel Farke introducing players that wouldn’t look out of place in the top flight against a sitting midfield duo that have started five games in 19 days, it was clear that some refreshment and reinforcement was needed. The only problem, Derby didn’t have a natural central midfielder to come on.
Eiran Cashin, Ryan Nyambe, David Ozoh, Liam Thompson, Ben Osborn. Five players out injured, all of whom would have a big impact in this Derby side. Just one of the latter three being fit enough to finish the game next to Adams in a more compact shape could have seen Derby hold on for a point.
This is not a result of tactical naivety, simply circumstance. Another midfielder who can dictate play has been an obvious job for Derby to advertise as the transfer window looms given the demands of Paul Warne’s football, the Championship, and recent injury records.
But this was expected. The Rams had to rebuild their midfield almost from scratch in the summer and have done well to do so a tight budget.
Another piece of most exceptional summer business came up trumps again too, Jacob Widell Zetterström preventing a remarkable 2.07xG.
Despite defeat, this was a hard-working, disciplined team display with plenty of positives, in which Derby came up just short.
A lot can happen in 22 days.
Derby (4-2-3-1): Zetterström (GK); Wilson, Nelson, Phillips, Elder; Goudmijn (Brown 86’), Adams; Mendez-Laing (C) (Blackett-Taylor 67’), Harness (Chirewa 74’), Jackson (Barkhuizen 74’); Yates (Collins 86’).
Substitutes not used: Vickers (GK), Forsyth, Bradley, Ward.
Leeds (4-2-3-1): Meslier; Bogle, Struijk, Rodon, Byram; Ampadu (C), Tanaka (Guilavogui 90+2’); Ramazani (Solomon 72’), Aaronson (Bamford 89’), Gnonto (James 71’); Joseph (Piroe 72’).
Substitutes not used: Darlow (GK), Schmidt, Debayo, Rothwell.
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