Leeds United already have more established Premier League peers running scared - Daniel Chapman

Leeds United’s future in the Premier League is still not quite mathematically assured, but league position does not always reflect true status.

Aston Villa proved that on Saturday.

They’ll be sticking around for next season too, helped a great deal by the three points they collected at Elland Road.

They will probably even finish above Leeds, as they should.

Marcelo Bielsa pointed out before the game that Villa are a year ahead of Leeds at this level, benefiting from a full Premier League season of mistakes, improvements and transfers.

Saturday’s result said one thing about the two clubs.

The performances said another. Villa arrived with a plan – supposedly cooked up with help from Anwar El Ghazi, their winger who played for Bielsa during their few months together at Lille.

They stifled United’s creators, blocked space where it could be used against them, ran down the clock and reorganised the referee, all at the expense of their own attacking ideas.

A lucky, early goal was more than Villa had bargained for, and with that in the bag after five minutes, the remaining 85 were a heist, all about making off with what they had.

Aston Villa, in other words, were scared of Leeds.

They had good reason.

They felt first hand what Leeds are capable of at Villa Park, and didn’t dare risk it happening again.

They knew that in another game of football, they’d lose.

So they opted for something else, keeping the ball out of play as much as they could.

It has happened several times this season and it’s frustrating, but only because Leeds haven’t mastered a way of overcoming it.

I’m not even sure Leeds fully appreciate that it’s happening.