Elland Road rocked, the television cameras picked out a beaming Eddie Gray. It is an old ground and it felt like time had gone backwards.
Three goals at the death transformed the game and made sure the fight for the Championship title is very much back on. In the blink of an eye and amid the raucous night of screaming Yorkshiremen and women, the gap from first-placed Leicester to second-placed Leeds went from what could have been 12 points to six. Now, nine points separate the top four in the promotion hunt.
Oh, how they celebrated. “Leeds are falling apart again,” they mocked from all four stands.
Leicester had been outstanding and in apparent control after Wout Faes’s first-half header but then Stephy Mavididi missed chance after chance and a goal that could have stood for Patson Daka was ruled out for offside.
So Leeds summoned up some ghosts of their past, relying on spirit, effort and Eddie Gray’s great-nephew, and from there came the most unlikely of comebacks.
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Connor Roberts had been on the pitch for seven minutes when he slipped in an 80th-minute equaliser, Archie Gray’s shot hit two Leicester players and deflected past Mads Hermansen off Faes three minutes later to put Leeds ahead, and then in injury-time Dan James’s free kick took a deflection off Patrick Bamford before flying into the Leicester goal. Everything in Leeds went wild at that point.
It was a Premier League game in aspiration, pace, atmosphere and application; a breakneck battle that needed a cleverly worked corner for Leicester to take the lead, in the 15th minute, by which time it should already have been 1-1.
Missing chances was a theme of the night. Patson Daka headed straight at the goalkeeper Illan Meslier and a brilliant move from Leeds ended with a clever pass inside from Wilfried Gnonto that Joël Piroe struck over the crossbar.
Then came Faes. The outstanding Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall sent over a corner from the Leicester left, Daka moved to the front post to flick on, Gnonto had given up on marking Faes at the far post, and the central defender stepped into space, avoided a half lunge from Gray and stooped to head into the Leeds goal.
It seemed at odds with the game for a goal to come from a set piece. Leeds looked dangerous whenever Gnonto went on a run, or Georginio Rutter used the quickness of his feet to fashion a chance. Piroe would head woefully wide from a Gnonto cross in the 17th minute and then, four minutes later, the Italian would see a mazy dribble end when he hit the ball against team-mate Crysecnio Summerville from eight yards.
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Dewsbury-Hall, playing in the central role of a front three behind Patson Daka, sparked Leicester on to the front foot whenever he got the ball. He looks a player who has developed and excelled under manager Enzo Maresca.
He was even better in the second half, as were Leicester. They went from back to front in the 56th minute, moving the ball from the goalkeeper Hermansen, through the defence, into Dewsbury-Hall, then it was played out wide and when it reached Mavididi, he cut in, and cracked a right-footed shot that Meslier did superbly to tip away to his left.
Just before the hour a Dewsbury-Hall corner was headed goalwards by Jannik Vestergaard, his effort struck the crossbar, was sent back towards goal by combination of Hamza Choudhury and Junior Firpo and headed into the Leeds net by Daka. It was flagged offside, although replays suggested the touch towards the Leeds goal was by Firpo.
It did not end Leicester’s momentum, nor the profligacy of Mavididi. He was denied again by Meslier and then, when put through by a delightful ball from Dewsbury-Hall, sent a right-footed effort wide of the Leeds net that left his team-mates with their heads in hands.
Leicester would spurn another chance in the 72nd minute, fine work from Pereira that ended with a square ball to Daka, and from 18 yards, unmarked, he dragged his shot wide.
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Then Leeds turned the game on its head.
Leeds (4-2-3-1) I Meslier — A Gray, J Rodon, E Ampadu, J Firpo (C Roberts 78) — I Gruev, G Kamara — W Gnonto (D James 64), G Rutter, C Summerville (J Anthony 90) — J Piroe (P Bamford 64).
Leicester (4-2-3-2) M Hermansen — H Choudhury, W Faes, J Vestergaard, J James — R Pereira, H Winks — S Mavididi (K McAteer 78), K Dewsbury-Hall, A Fatawu — P Daka (T Cannon 78).
Referee Craig Pawson.
