DIEGO LLORENTE EARNED Leeds a battling point in a breathless 3-3 draw at Aston Villa.
The defender struck in the second half as the visitors hit back from 3-1 down. Philippe Coutinho pulled the strings in a whirlwind first half where he cancelled out Dan James’ opener before twice setting up Jacob Ramsey.
James made it 3-2 before the break and Llorente ensured a pulsating game at Villa Park ended even.
Ezri Konsa was also dismissed late on for a second yellow card for Villa but Leeds were unable to capitalise.
The draw edged Marcelo Bielsa’s side, now with just three wins in their last 12 games, six points clear of the relegation zone and denied Villa a place in the Premier League’s top 10.
But Villa began brightly enough with Illan Meslier ensuring Llorente did not turn Douglas Luiz’s corner into his own net. Yet the hosts faded quickly, allowing Leeds to grab the initiative and a ninth-minute lead.
Tyrone Mings twice failed to deal with a ball on the right, with a weak first challenge on Mateusz Klich allowing Llorente to steal the ball from him on the edge of the area.
He found James and the winger stepped inside Konsa to drill in low across Emi Martinez.
The goalkeeper then stopped a fizzing James effort while Lucas Digne needed to be alert to clear ahead of Raphinha with Villa on the rocks.
Mings should have levelled but headed Douglas Luiz’s corner wide and the entertainment continued when Jack Harrison’s quick break teed up James only for his rising 20-yard drive to clatter the bar.
There was purpose and pace from the visitors while Coutinho had been anonymous – until he levelled things after half an hour and tore Leeds apart in a devastating spell.
Matty Cash was the architect, latching onto Emi Buendia’s pass and crossing for the unmarked Brazilian.
Leeds inexplicably stood off the Barcelona loanee and he was allowed to steer the ball low into the corner for a second goal in three games.
Eight minutes later Coutinho turned provider with a sumptuous assist. He turned Luke Ayling and split the Leeds defence with the perfect pass for the onrushing Ramsey to advance and drill past Meslier.
It was reminiscent of the link-up Steven Gerrard and Coutinho enjoyed at Liverpool and the relationship continued to blossom when Ramsey made it 3-1 six minutes later.
Coutinho was in the mood and led the charge when referee Jarred Gillett played advantage after Digne was poleaxed. Ollie Watkins’ clever run took two defenders with him and Ramsey was left alone to collect Coutinho’s pass and find the top corner.
A flat out first half then concluded when James made it 3-2 just before the break, heading in from point-blank range after Rodrigo’s cross ballooned off Konsa.
Perhaps unsurprisingly the level dropped with neither side managing to make a concerted impression immediately after the break.
But it was a brief lull as Leeds levelled just after the hour.
Pascal Struijk had seen a header cleared off the line from Mings but Leeds regrouped and from their next corner the Villa captain went from hero to villain.
This time he failed to get enough on a clearance following Struijk’s header and Llorente smashed in from eight yards.
Villa had already lost Buendia to injury and needed to rediscover their composure, which continued to elude them when Konsa was sloppy in possession allowing Klich to shoot Martinez.
Coutinho departed with 13 minutes left, having needed treatment earlier, and Villa lost their creative spark.
Leeds, though, were unable to make any further inroads even when Konsa was sent off for a second yellow card with three minutes left for needlessly stopping Meslier releasing the ball.
Wilfried Zaha’s night went from the sublime to the ridiculous with a superb solo equaliser followed by an awful penalty miss as Crystal Palace came from behind to draw 1-1 at Norwich.
The Canaries needed a win to move out of the Premier League relegation zone but they had to settle for a point at Carrow Road.
Teemu Pukki’s first goal in over 11 and a half hours had the hosts ahead after just 39 seconds but Dean Smith’s side could not make it four wins from four.
Instead, they were pegged back on the hour by a fine Zaha effort, the Ivory Coast international curling home from the edge of the area on his first appearance since Boxing Day.
He then had a fine chance to win it for the Eagles, who have now won just two of their last 12 league games, but he scuffed a tame penalty well wide after Tyrick Mitchell had been fouled by Max Aarons.
It was almost as if Palace boss Patrick Vieira had pre-empted the topsy-turvy evening for Zaha in his press conference ahead of his return to club action following his stint at the Africa Cup of Nations.
“I think with his potential he can do more…I think he’s a player that can deliver and he needs to be more consistent,” he had said, with Zaha going on to prove his manager’s point.
Norwich would break the deadlock within the opening minute, Pukki finishing low for his first goal of 2022 after Adam Idah had touched Milot Rashica’s cross into his path.
Pukki was denied a second only by the brave defending of Mitchell, who stole in ahead of the Finland forward to nod Rashica’s cross behind for a corner.
It was his own dallying which would cost Pukki moments later, Rashica, enjoying his night up against Joel Ward, laying a chance on a plate for the striker whose loose touch allowed Mitchell to once again get back and challenge.
Jean-Philippe Mateta thought he had equalised as the half drew to a close but his deft finish was correctly ruled out for offside.
Much like the first half, most of Norwich’s attacking threat was carried by Rashica, whose low, deflected strike had Vicente Guaita sprawling before darting past the post.
At the other end, Angus Gunn had to be alive to the danger to palm away a Jeffrey Schlupp effort but Palace were knocking on the door.
Their equaliser would come in superb fashion as Zaha, quiet until this point, was afforded too much space by Przemyslaw Placheta and took full advantage by wrapping his foot around the ball and curling past Gunn.
Under two minutes later and Palace were presented with a golden chance to take the lead as Aarons clumsily bundled Mitchell over in the box.
Zaha, fresh from his sixth goal of the campaign, looked prime to double his tally for the evening but instead dragged a timid effort wide of the post.
There would ultimately be nothing to separate the two sides, with Norwich a point from safety and Palace still struggling for Premier League wins.
