By David Williams
Luke Williams insists Swansea City can draw some optimism for the rest of their season, despite losing a 4-3 thriller at home to Leeds United.
The Swans head coach watched his side twice go ahead, before eventually conceding the winner in stoppage time to Leeds, who moved to the top of the Championship.
It was a second successive injury-time defeat for Williams’ side and it leaves them in 14th place in the table, seven points adrift of the play-offs.
But the Swans boss was adamant that narrow defeats to Burnley and now Leeds prove they are capable of climbing the table if they win matches against less powerful opposition.
A seven-goal thriller between Swansea City and Leeds United this afternoon #BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/zcECkJLcXG
— BBC Sport Wales (@BBCSportWales) November 24, 2024
Williams said: “It was a very high level game, where both sides played a high level of football.
“The quality of Leeds was the difference and the reason we didn’t get anything from the game.
“If you watch the replay of our third goal I don’t celebrate much because of the opposition and the fact we concede a lot of late goals.
“I thought we might hold out, but Leeds made a brilliant action and punished us.
“I am pleased with all aspects of the performance but the result is difficult to accept.
“They made great actions and open us up and score goals. They caused us a lot of problems and I think we caused them a few problems also.
“We now have to win games where we are capable of winning, otherwise we are sitting here saying the same thing.
The gaffer reflects on this afternoon’s defeat in SA1
https://t.co/s7jL803HV5 pic.twitter.com/hHVXu7NTiR
— Swansea City AFC (@SwansOfficial) November 24, 2024
Leeds boss Daniel Farke revealed the chance to go top of the Championship provided the motivation for their thrilling victory.
Substitute Wilfried Gnonto slid home Leeds’ winner in the first minute of stoppage time to move them above Sunderland and Sheffield United on goal difference.
Florian Bianchini had equalised for Swansea moments earlier to seemingly deny Leeds top spot.
Farke said: “The whole team wanted to win this game because it was the first time for ages that the club had the chance to be top of the league.
“Sometimes this mentality is more important than just the tactical side of a football game.
“With my former club (Norwich) I finished top spot two times and won the league, and I’m happy when I’m in position one.
“So I said: ‘come on and claim this top spot’ even if we know this league is a marathon and not a sprint.
“It is good to be on top, even if it is on goal difference at the moment by the way.”
Leeds twice trailed to goals from Harry Darling and Liam Cullen and were 2-1 behind at the interval.
Manor Solomon had equalised earlier with his first Leeds goal and Ben Cabango put through his own net to make it 2-2 after 10 minutes.
Solomon struck his second 17 minutes from time before Gnonto emerged as the Leeds hero – taking the Yorkshire club top of the second tier for the first time since last March.
Farke said: “In the end we deserved to win these three points. We were a bit sleepy at the start but we showed great resilience.
“We were a bit sleepy at times in the first half and the second half, but in between our game was excellent.
“We were great going forward, our pressing was spot-on, and on the counter-attacks we were excellent.
“We probably created more chances than anyone against Swansea so far this season. We scored four goals and could have scored a few more.”
This was a game that highlighted the best of Leeds’ attacking strengths, but also stress-tested the extent of their weaknesses.
Swansea went into the match as the lowest goalscorers in the Championship, yet they managed to put three past a Leeds defence that often appeared brittle.
None of the three were down to individual errors, but poor marking enabled the home side to twice score from inside Leeds’ six-yard box, whilst the second Swansea goal came after Cullen was left free on the edge of the penalty area.
Leeds, though, are now the division’s top scorers with 27 goals, although they needed an own goal from Cabango to add to those of Gnonto and Solomon.
Farke added: “In terms of defending, we have had more clinical games. Normally, when you concede three goals at Swansea you cannot win.
“But when you are not quite accurate, it is important to show heart and character and resilience.
“I am much more pleased with our attacking and our togetherness than with our technical defending.”
Darling put Swansea ahead when he volleyed home from Matt Grimes’ free-kick and it suggested the club may celebrate their newly announced takeover – from one group of Americans to another – with a win.
But Solomon slid the ball home from Dan James’ cross and although Wales striker Cullen – who scored twice against Iceland in midweek – made it three goals in a week just before the break, there was always the sense of more rewards to come from Leeds’ pace and slick approach play.
It was James who forced Cabango to slide the ball into his own net to make it 2-2 just after the break, before Leeds – with Joe Rothwell and Brenden Aaronson their dominant figures – went ahead.
Sam Bayram’s cross was turned in by Solomon for the Israeli striker’s second goal, only for Swansea to draw level through Bianchini.
The drama was complete when James slipped the ball through to Gnonto for the eventual winner.
