Whites return to winning ways.
Sky Bet Championship
Leeds United 2 (Roofe 69, Hernandez 86) Bristol City 0
Leeds: Huffer, Dallas, Halme (Saiz 64), Cooper, Douglas, Phillips, Forshaw, Klich (Baker 82), Hernandez, Alioski (Harrison 61), Roofe. Subs not used: Miazek, Davis, Shackleton, Clarke.
Bristol: Maenpaa, Hunt, Kalas, Webster, Kelly, Eliasson (Walsh 62), Pack, Brownhill, Adelakun (Diedhiou 62), Paterson (Eisa 78), Weimann. Subs not used: Pisano, Dasilva, Baker, O’Leary.
Booked: Alioski (Leeds), Brownhill (Bristol)
Sent off: Brownhill (Bristol)
Referee: S. Duncan
Venue: Elland Road
Attendance: 34,333 (889 Bristol)
Second half goals from Kemar Roofe and Pablo Hernandez saw Leeds United ease past 10 man Bristol City at Elland Road, as the Whites got back to winning ways.
Head coach Marcelo Bielsa was forced to shuffle the pack following injuries to Jamal Blackman, Bailey Peacock-Farrell and Pontus Jansson, so Will Huffer was handed a debut in goal and Aapo Halme made his first appearance for the Whites starting at centre-back.
Leeds had the first real chance of the game in the 10th minute, Mateusz Klich teed up Kalvin Phillips to strike, but he couldn’t keep his effort down.
Eight minutes later, the Whites had a fine opportunity to take the lead, Klich found Ezgjan Alisoki at the far side of the box in space, he fired at goal, but couldn’t get the better of Niki Maenpaa.
Stuart Dallas saw a deflected strike end up in the arms of Maenpaa, before Huffer was called into action at a corner, making a vital interception from Liam Kelly’s header across goal.
Bristol had an opportunity to go in front when Huffer punched away a free-kick, the ball fell to Jamie Paterson who attempted to lob the Leeds stopper, but his effort landed on the roof of the net.
Before the break, Leeds had another chance to break the deadlock, Bristol lost possession in their own half and Klich sent Roofe into the Bristol penalty area, but his strike went agonisingly wide.
Half time: Leeds United 0-0 Bristol City
After the break, Niclas Eliasson saw a deflected strike go just over, before the visitors were reduced to 10 men. Josh Brownhill, who picked up a booking in the first half, was given his marching orders after a late sliding tackle on Roofe.
Leeds took the ascendancy following the dismissal, Alioski couldn’t keep an effort down, before Klich played Roofe through on goal, but he couldn’t find the target under pressure from a narrow angle.
Klich then found Alioski in space, he cut the ball back looking for Roofe, but his cross deflected just wide for a corner.
From the resulting corner, the ball came out to Klich, who forced Maenpaa into a decent stop with a 25 yard strike.
In the 67th minute the Whites had a great chance to take the lead, Klich found Leeds substitute Jack Harrison in space in the box, but he took too long to shoot and his eventual effort was blocked.
Douglas then tried his luck from 25 yards when the ball fell to him following a corner and his shot was destined for the top corner, but for a superb save by Maenpaa.
The pressure eventually told and Leeds did get the breakthrough. Stuart Dallas found Pablo Hernandez in the box and his shot was turned in by Roofe from close range.
Hernandez then sealed the win four minutes from time, substitute Samuel Saiz provided a fine cross for his fellow Spaniard, who headed the ball into the back of the net from the direction it had come from, wrong footing Maenpaa.
Full time: Leeds United 2-0 Bristol City