Leeds United 4-0 Ipswich Town: Championship – as It Happened | Championship

And with that, I’ll bid you farewell. Here’s the match report. Thanks for reading, and season’s greetings.

Kieran McKenna speaks: “It wasn’t our day and it’s a difficult afternoon, but I thought the first half the gulf between the teams wasn’t a 3-0. The moments went against us and they’re such a good team in the transitions. There was a crystal clear foul on Connor Chaplin in the buildup to the first goal but we didn’t defend the corner – we need to do better. Once we’re 1-0 down it’s difficult, we looked comfortable without threatening so going in at 0-3 down was tough. I’ve not seen whether there was a foul for the second goal but the first was a big one so early in the game. I haven’t seen the penalty decision back we shouldn’t let them break out of that attacking scenario. I wouldn’t have done anything different approach-wise – we also know how our season’s going, we didn’t approach it any different. W’ve had an incredible first half of the season, today didn’t go our way aganst a really strong team but it’s a 46-game season.”

Daniel Farke’s take: “I can’t praise [the players] enough against one of the best sides in the league – one of the most mature performances of the entire season, we kept them really quiet, a couple of half-chances in the first half and second half and that’s all. Against a really food side who deserve to be in the top positions and the most important topic was we kept going when we were in the lead. In all areas we were really strong.”

Some on-pitch chat with Crysencio Summerville and man of the match Georginio Rutter, who says: “I’m very happy. The target is to gos traight back to the Premier League so we had to win.” His teammate Summerville adds: “When you score early you can builod momentum , Georgie is formidable he’s the best, creatgive like me, and we’ve got a good connection. Our plan is jut to focus on ourselves [not the teams above us] – don’t watch first and second place, just ourselves.”

And to add to the festive mood at Elland Road, Manchester United have gone and lost again.

Leeds celebrate to the familiar strains of Rockin’ All Over The World. They were superb today – confident in and out of possession, purposeful, high pressing and passing with aplomb more and more as the game went on. The top two is a realistic target for them for sure. Ipswich struggled for a plan B once their passing game got nullified, but they’re renowned for bouncing back strongly from their rare defeats so shouldn’t be too despondent.

And that’s that. A match whose result wasn’t in doubt from about half an hour in.

90+2 mins: The game now meandering to the finish without tension, Ipswich seeing a bit more of the ball.

90 mins: We’ll have five extra minutes.

89 mins: This feels like one of the pivotal results of the entire Championship season. How each side responds to it could determine much in the race for automatic promotion. Harness has looked livelyish since coming on and his cross causes a bit of panic in the Leeds area and prefaces Clarke dashing in for the byline but he runs it out of player after a challenge.

87 mins: Bamford clatters Clarke, who’s kept going manfully on the Ipswich right, but escapes a booking. But it gives Ipswich at least a chance to knock it about a bit again but Chaplin is again dispossessed as he tries to ferret into the box.

84 mins: A final Ipswich sub: Brandon Williams on for Leif Davis, who’s had an unhappy return to Elland Road.

83 mins: Harness tries to get it launched, uncharacteristically, but his ball forward for Chaplin is overhit. Easily gathered

81 mins: Leeds subs: Piroe and the outstanding Rutter off, Bamford and Joseph on.

80 mins: Leeds come again, Summerville darting into the box on the inside-left, laying it out wide for the sub Firpo, but he makes a slight mess of his first touch and his cross is easily gathered by the keeper.

79 mins: Ipswich fans’ minds will be focusing more on the massive Boxing Day set-to with Leicester now, I imagine, as well as perhaps grabbing a pint in Whitelocks or the Scarborough when they get back to Leeds city centre.

77 mins: Pass, pass, pass, pass, pass. Leeds going through the motions joyously now.

76 mins: I feel as if I’ve jinxed Ipswich here by praising them so effusively in my preamble. They can’t even touch the ball at the moment, as it’s all gone a bit 1971 v Southampton from a Leeds point of view.

73 mins: The corner is cleared but possession, momentum, territory and seasonal good cheer remain firmly with Leeds.

72 mins: Subs: Leeds win another corner but make some more subs with Kamara and the excellent Spence off for Firpo and Gruev.

69 mins: Off the bar again! Spence tees up Rutter after a long spell of Leeds possession and he thumps one off the crossbar from 12 yards.

An email from Timothy Smith: “Leeds fan in the USA stuck watching West Ham-MU. You were right it is DULL. MU in all white kit though, trying vainly to emulate the mighty Whites. I have news though, they are not scoring four goals today!”

68 mins: That flurry of subs was clearly made by McKenna with squad protection in mind, though only Brighton in the top four divisions have scored more through subs this season than Ipswich.

67 mins: Ipswich subs: Burns, Broadhead, Morsy and Hirst off for Ball, Harness, Jackson and Hutchinson.

Gray is OK to continue

65 mins: Some nice link-up play from Ipswich through Burns and Clarke again founders on the edge of the box and Leeds clear and break through Gray, who’s crudely upended and needs a bit of treatment.

62 mins: Summerville’s free-kick is forcefully headed clear by Tuanzebe, but Leeds continue to dominate territory. Morsy is perhaps lucky to avoid a booking for going in late on Summerville.

60 mins: Leeds sub: Gnonto comes on for the busy James, who is warmly applauded.

60 mins: Ipswich booking: Tuanzebe Leeds’ Ethan Ampadu is being serenaded to the tune of the 1984 Black Lace “classic” as their side continue to knock it about for fun. Summerville gets clear after a long ball and is hauled back by Tuanzebe, who sees yellow.

58 mins: If anything, Leeds have been even more in control since half-time but Ipswich finally get some sapce with Chaplin and Burns combining on the righ but when the ball’s played in to the box Struijk clears easily. And Leeds break through James

57 mins: Ipswich get some respite when the corner comes to nowt and a cross back in is overhit and goes out for a throw.

55 mins: Leeds nearly score again when Summerville then Piroe find space inside the area and Ipswich eventually scramble away for a corner.

54 mins: Elland Road’s having a bit of a party – they suspect this one’s in the bag now – and Marching Alltogether rings out round the ground. Ipswich can’t get going at all.