Leeds United’s calm finale, recent final days recalled ahead of West Ham | OneFootball

Leeds United head to West Ham with little on the line, a rare dose of calm for the final day. Supporters can simply enjoy the end of a brilliant first year back in the top flight, while their London Stadium hosts still have survival at stake.

According to yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk, previous finales have been anything but serene. In 2015/16 it finished Preston 1-1 Leeds. Jordan Hugill cancelled a Chris Wood penalty late on, and it proved Steve Evans’ final match before Massimo Cellino sacked him later that month.

In 2016/17 a 1-1 draw at Wigan left Leeds seventh, five points shy of the play-offs. After full-time, Garry Monk said Charlie Taylor had refused to play. The defender was fined and joined Burnley two months later.

In 2017/18, Leeds beat QPR 2-0 through Kemar Roofe and Kalvin Phillips to finish 13th. It was Paul Heckingbottom’s final game before a major reset that summer.

Marcelo Bielsa’s debut year ended with a 3-2 defeat at rock-bottom 10-man Ipswich in 2018/19, leaving Leeds four without a win to close the regular season. They later lost a dramatic play-off semi-final to Derby County.

The 2019/20 title was already sealed before a 4-0 win over Charlton behind closed doors due to Covid, Ben White volleying superbly amid post-match celebrations.

In 2020/21 Leeds beat West Brom 3-1 to end a ninth-placed Premier League return, with 8,000 inside Elland Road. Emotional farewells followed for Gaetano Berardi, Gianni Alioski and Pablo Hernandez.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk