National media give strong verdict after Leeds United draw vs West Brom

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Leeds United took another step towards the Premier League with a draw against play-off chasers West Brom.

Left-back Junior Firpo had given Daniel Farke's side a ninth-minute lead before Darnell Furlong slammed home an equaliser for the Baggies.

The Whites still lead the way at the top of the Championship and extend their unbeaten run to 17 games in the process, as promotion closes in.

Following the draw at Elland Road, the national media provided their verdict and below are some of the latest takeaways from Leeds's latest showing...

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'Leeds look a dead cert'

Jason Mellor for the Daily Mail: "Daniel Farke was unfamiliar with the cautionary tale of Devon Loch but it would take a choke of similarly disastrous proportions to deny Leeds United a place back at the top table of English football.

"The unfortunate thoroughbred's astonishing collapse and ultimate defeat with Grand National victory at its mercy has become a metaphor for sporting collapse over the decades. The kind of which befell the United States' Ryder Cup team when they were on the wrong side of the Miracle of Medinah 13 years ago. Or Newcastle's stunning implosion to allow Manchester United to bridge a 12-point gap to win the Premier League in 1996.

"In short, finding a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Such has been their outstanding form - they remain unbeaten in the league for more than four months spanning 17 games - having to settle for a point after being pegged back by an admirable West Brom side felt something akin to a defeat as they were denied a sixth consecutive league victory.

"However, with 11 games remaining they moved eight points ahead of Burnley in third, and the Championship leaders don't look ready to join the unwanted club spawned by Devon Loch's exploits almost 70 years ago, and appear to be a dead-cert to end a two-year top flight exile."

'A timely reminder'

Beren Cross said for The Athletic: "West Bromwich Albion lasted longer than they did on their last visit to Elland Road on the first day of March, but not by much.

"Pablo Hernandez hooked Leeds United up to the mains after 16 seconds in 2019, jump-starting one of the finest evenings of Marcelo Bielsa’s tenure. West Brom held out until the ninth minute on Saturday, but things played out very differently from there on in.

"Six years ago, it was third hosting fourth, with a blockbuster 4-0 home win that served as the ideal tonic at a difficult point of the season for Leeds. Back then, they were trying to keep pace with Daniel Farke’s Norwich City and Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United, three days after an off day at lowly Queens Park Rangers.

"2025’s game was supposed to be the latest in a procession to glory at Home Park on the final afternoon of the season, but instead it turned into one of those off days. They have been rare this season, but after the riotous ecstasy of the last two matches, perhaps this was an understandably human reaction from the Leeds squad."

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