The full effect of Leeds United’s 4-0 demolition of Ipswich Town at Elland Road in the Championship on Saturday might not be apparent for a few weeks.
Over the years, parents have informed their restless children on Christmas Eve that Father Christmas won’t visit if they are awake. While respectable seniors have long dismissed the idea of opening gifts early and devouring any wrapping before the big guy shuffles down the chimney, on Saturday everyone at Elland Road was tearing through the sheets.
At midday, Leeds United’s own Weihnachtsmann, dressed entirely in black, was stuffing gifts into the one sack that mattered to everyone, along with his white-shirted elves. In LS11, Christmas arrived early, as seen by the wide awake state of everyone.
Leeds has performed admirably and risen to the occasion once more throughout this Championship campaign. When the chips are down, Daniel Farke’s team delivers, just like they did at Portman Road and King Power Stadium.
The first goal by Pascal Struijk in the eighth minute established the mood, removed the first layer of uncertainty, and launched the Whites forward. In every way, they were too strong for Ipswich Town, who were in second position.
Everywhere on the field, duels were being won. There were no areas of discomfort for Leeds, whether it was Archie Gray taking on Nathan Broadhead, Joe Rodon going up against George Hirst, Glen Kamara controlling Sam Morsy, or Crysencio Summerville scaring Harry Clarke.
After Summerville’s penalty made the victory seem inevitable, attention shifted to the manner in which Ipswich lost. Maintaining the clean sheet and scoring a fourth goal would guarantee that the remainder of the division and the away players received a lasting message.
Coming to Elland Road and losing by the odd goal would have been an understandable and forgivable outcome which Ipswich could have moved on from quickly, but a 4-0 rout? The Tractor Boys haven’t lost a match by a four-goal margin since April 2019 when they were en route to Championship relegation.
Kieran McKenna’s journey with the visitors has been outstanding since he arrived and nobody should begin doing down his overall success this season as a newly-promoted outfit. However, a loss as colossal as this could yet have a longer-lasting impact.
Leicester City, the only team with a better record than Ipswich this season, visit on Boxing Day and they have the ability to humble their hosts in the same way. The Leeds humiliation will be fresh for both sides at Portman Road.
It will be fascinating to see how Ipswich bounce back. Does this set them on a longer-term wobble or will it be forgotten as a blip in a second consecutive promotion-winning season? All Leeds can do is keep delivering presents and hope for the best.
