Brenden Aaronson and Joe Rodon played pivotal roles in Leeds United’s 2-1 victory over West Ham United at Elland Road, further deepening the woes of the struggling London side. Aaronson struck first by capitalizing on a rebound early in the match, quickly followed by Rodon’s header just 15 minutes in, giving Leeds a commanding 2-0 lead. Despite a late goal from West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes, which came in injury time, Leeds held firm for their third win of the Premier League season.
West Ham’s current form is concerning, marking their worst start to a top-flight season with just four points from nine games. This latest defeat extends their winless streak to six matches and leaves them languishing in the relegation zone. Nuno Espirito Santo, who took over managerial duties after Graham Potter was dismissed in September, remains without a victory in his first four matches, describing the challenges ahead as “big, big ones.”
Leeds came out strong, with Aaronson’s goal in the third minute setting the tone for the match. The American finished off a play that began with Noah Okafor’s header, which was parried by West Ham’s goalkeeper Alphonse Areola. It was Aaronson’s second goal of the campaign and first since August 2022. Reflecting on his performance, Aaronson expressed pride in his perseverance, despite previous setbacks.
Rodon further compounded West Ham’s troubles by heading in a corner from Sean Longstaff to score Leeds’ second goal. In addition to the goals, Leeds faced injury woes as left-back Ollie Scarles exited the match after sustaining a shoulder injury, later replaced by Callum Wilson. VAR also played a role in the match, as West Ham had a goal disallowed due to an offside decision against Lucas Paquetá.
Although West Ham enjoyed more possession in the second half, they struggled to create clear chances until Fernandes scored in the dying moments. Leeds’ defense held strong, however, preventing any further threats and ensuring the home side secured a crucial three points.
With this victory, Leeds moved up to 13th in the Premier League table as West Ham continues to search for answers amid their ongoing slump. The resilience shown by Leeds and Aaronson’s renewed form could signal a positive turning point for the team as they look to build on this success in the upcoming fixtures.