Leeds United moved up to third place in the Premier League table with a 4-1 win against Newcastle United at Elland Road, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin was the star of the show. The striker scored twice, including a trademark header, as Leeds dominated Newcastle from start to finish.
The win sends Leeds up to third in the league standings, and the performance was strong enough to earn individual plaudits across the squad. Here’s how BBC Sport rated the players from both sides, along with a breakdown of the key moments that shaped the result.
Calvert-Lewin’s Two Goals
Calvert-Lewin’s performance was the story of the night. He opened the scoring with a cool finish after pulling the ball back for Ao Tanaka to let fly for the opener, then added the hosts’ third with a calm strike from the floor after a trademark header came off Bogle for Leeds’ second.
He scored eight goals against Newcastle, more than any other side he has faced.
“Just loves this fixture.”
The rating of 9 reflects a dominant display that carried Leeds through a night when Newcastle’s defence struggled to cope.
Leeds’ First-Half Fast Start
Leeds started fast, winning a corner inside 32 seconds through Anton Stach. The team pushed for more throughout, with Ethan Ampadu barking instructions from the back and Gabriel Gudmundsson causing problems down the left.
Jayden Bogle was a constant threat, setting up the second goal with a teasing cross and then seeing his second goal credited to him despite not knowing much about it. His goal at Brighton last time out in the league had given him confidence, and he twice forced Lukas Hornicek into big saves before the second goal took the final touch off him.
Ao Tanaka’s goal came off two heavy deflections, but he had the confidence to take the shot. He was looking back to his best in recent weeks, even if he was relieved to see one misplaced pass unpunished.
Noah Okafor rounded things off with a fine strike for the fourth, having also coolly pulled the ball back for Tanaka to let fly for his side’s opener.
Newcastle’s Defence Collapses
Newcastle’s night was defined by their struggles at the back. Sven Botman and Malick Thiaw both failed to cope with Calvert-Lewin, who beat them easily for Leeds’ second goal.
Thiaw was beaten easily, slapped turf in frustration after the striker fired past him for the third, and then failed to block Okafor’s fourth. His performance was far from a captain’s display, and he was rated 3 for his contribution.
Botman suffered the same fate. Like Thiaw, he could not cope with Calvert-Lewin and was skinned so easily for Leeds’ second goal. His rating was also 3.
The Ratings Breakdown
BBC Sport’s player ratings are based on user submissions, with the score displayed representing the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users. The rater closes 30 minutes after the final whistle, and users must be signed in to a BBC account to play.
The full breakdown shows Leeds’ strength across the pitch:
| Player | Position | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Calvert-Lewin | Striker | 9 |
| Bogle | Wing-back | 8 |
| Okafor | Forward | 8 |
| Tanaka | Midfielder | 7 |
| Gudmundsson | Wing-back | 7 |
| Ampadu | Midfielder | 7 |
| Trafford | Goalkeeper | 7 |
| Justin | Defender | 7 |
| Elvedi | Defender | 7 |
| Muharemovic | Defender | 7 |
| Stach | Defender | 7 |
Newcastle’s ratings were lower overall, reflecting a night when their defence could not cope with Leeds’ attacking intent:
| Player | Position | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Hornicek | Goalkeeper | 6 |
| Dedic | Defender | 4 |
| Thiaw | Defender | 3 |
| Botman | Defender | 3 |
| Hall | Defender | 4 |
| Gonzalez | Midfielder | 5 |
| Miley | Midfielder | 4 |
| Murphy | Midfielder | 3 |
| Wissa | Forward | 5 |
| Barnes | Forward | 5 |
| Fernandez-Pardo | Midfielder | 4 |
Substitution Numbers
Leeds made substitutions in the 72nd minute, bringing on Melvin Bard, Brenden Aaronson and Harry Wilson for Gudmundsson, Tanaka and Okafor. All three were rated 6, with the perfect environment for Bard’s Premier League debut.
Later subs saw Lukas Nmecha replace Calvert-Lewin in the 78th minute, Daniel James replace Bogle in the 83rd, and Sean Longstaff replace Stach in the 88th. None of the trio were rated higher than 6.
Newcastle’s substitutions came earlier. Steur replaced Gonzalez after just 19 minutes, having been thrown into the cauldron after the midfielder went off following a head injury. He could do little about the deflection before Leeds’ first goal but gave the ball away in the build-up to Leeds’ second.
Bazoumana Toure and Joe Willock came on in the 58th minute for Murphy and Fernandez-Pardo, with Toure scoring a consolation goal set up by Tino Livramento. Aladji Bamba replaced Miley in the 79th minute, a rare sighting following his summer move from Monaco.
The Scoreline
The 4-1 scoreline reflected the difference between the two teams on the night. Leeds were relentless, and Newcastle simply could not cope with the pressure.
The win moves Leeds up to third place in the league, a position they have earned through performances like this. Newcastle, meanwhile, will need to address their defensive issues ahead of their next fixtures.
The ratings reflect that balance. Leeds deserved their win, and Calvert-Lewin deserved his 9/10 rating.
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