RODRIGO SALVAGED A point for Leeds as a see-saw battle with fellow Premier League strugglers West Ham ended 2-2 at Elland Road.
The Spanish forward rifled home his 10th league goal of the season midway through the second half to deny West Ham a much-needed victory.
The Hammers were on course for their first league win since October after quickfire goals either side of the break – via Lucas Paqueta’s penalty and a Gianluca Scamacca strike – had cancelled out Wilfried Gnonto’s opener.
Both sides wore black armbands as a mark of respect for West Ham’s joint-chairman David Gold, who died on Wednesday morning aged 86, while there was also a minute’s applause before kick-off.
Leeds were also a team in need of a lift after taking one point from their previous three matches and inspiration was provided by Gnonto in the 28th minute.
The teenager combined with Crysencio Summerville on the edge of the area to put Leeds ahead, slamming a low shot inside Lukasz Fabianski’s near post for his first Leeds goal.
West Ham almost responded through Pablo Fornals, who rolled a golden chance agonisingly wide before the visitors were awarded a penalty for Pascal Struijk’s challenge on Jarrod Bowen after a VAR intervention. After a lengthy delay Paqueta held his nerve to lash his spot kick – and his first West Ham goal – into Meslier’s top left-hand corner.
The visitors struck within moments of the second half to make it 2-1.
Leeds midfielder Brenden Aaronson’s careless mis-placed pass found Scamacca and the Italian curled a superb low shot in off a post from 25 yards.
The home side huffed and puffed in a bid to get back on level terms, but provided another moment of quality to do so in the 70th minute. Substitute Jack Harrison teed up Rodrigo on the edge of the box and the Spaniard took one touch before rifling home a fine finish.
Fabianski then pulled off another world-class save in the dying moments to keep out Rodrigo’s header as the game ended in a draw.
Elsewhere, Nottingham Forest climbed out of the Premier League relegation zone courtesy of a precious 1-0 victory which heaped more misery on bottom club Southampton.
Taiwo Awoniyi’s fifth goal of the campaign earned Forest a first top-flight away success of the season to strengthen their survival hopes.
Steve Cooper’s resurgent side have now taken 11 points from the last 21 available, having only managed six from the previous 33, and fully merited a significant triumph on the south coast.
Calamitous defending once again contributed heavily to Saints’ downfall as their alarming losing streak stretched to six top-flight games to make a precarious position slightly more perilous.
Manager Nathan Jones has overseen four of those defeats and there was little to suggest he is set to launch a successful survival mission following another deflating outing at St Mary’s.
Disgruntled home fans chanted ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’ at full-time.
Forest were content to soak up pressure following their 27th-minute opener. The two-time European champions arrived in Hampshire with the division’s worst away record, ready to take on the team with the poorest home form.
Both sides squandered glorious early chances. Saints top scorer Che Adams was culpable first, skewing wastefully wide with time and space after being sent clean through by Kyle Walker-Peters following a poor clearance from Forest goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
The visitors almost compounded Saints’ frustration with their first attack as Ryan Yates’ mishit shot fell kindly to the unmarked Johnson but his rising effort struck the frame of the goal.
There was to be no second reprieve for Southampton as the slack defending which has been a hallmark of a dismal campaign once again led to their undoing.
Saints defender Lyanco dithered and then sloppily conceded possession on halfway, allowing Johnson to burst clear and square to give Awoniyi a simple tap in.
The breakthrough was only Forest’s second goal on the road in the league this season and broke a six-game drought dating back to a 1-1 draw at Everton in August.
Saints conjured nothing in response before the break and suffered the recurring ignominy of being jeered from the field by their success-starved supporters.
The home side enjoyed plenty of possession during a tight second period but failed to test Henderson, while appearing susceptible to counter attacks.
Forest jubilantly celebrated a first top-flight away win since a 2-1 success at Blackburn in May 1999 as loud boos emanated from three sides of the ground.
Meanwhile, Danny Ings rescued a point for poor Aston Villa to dent Wolves’ bid to climb out of the relegation zone.
The striker cancelled out Daniel Podence’s opener as the hosts recovered from a below-par first half to grab a 1-1 draw.
Wolves were on course for their first back-to-back away wins in the Premier League for a year but were forced to settle for a point and they remain in the relegation zone.
Villa sit 11th as Unai Emery continues to enjoy his honeymoon spell and he matched the result when he and Lopetegui met in LaLiga in September when Villarreal drew 1-1 with Sevilla.
The hosts’ brief resistance broke after 12 minutes when Wolves worked their way through with some style. A cross was only cleared to Podence on the touchline and he swapped passes with Joao Moutinho to wriggle into the area, and the forward danced past the static Douglas Luiz and expertly curled into the corner.
The hosts found a leveller in the 78th minute through Ings. It was a simple goal which ultimately unlocked Wolves as Tyrone Mings’ long ball found Ings and, with Sa dithering and slipping, the striker calmly finished.
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