After a 16-year absence, Leeds United are finally back in the Premier League, and if history tells us anything it’s that they’ll have plenty to offer in the big-time.
With Marcelo Bielsa’s side not taking to the pitch for three months during lockdown, there’s a good chance Leeds fans will have got their football fix by watching reruns of the Premier League Years on Sky Sports.
And if so, they will have been reminded that the Whites took part in some classic top-flight matches following the league's snazzy rebrand in 1992 until their unceremonious exit in 2004. Here are five of Leeds best wins in the Premier League era to get you excited about their long-awaited return...
Leeds United 4-1 Chelsea (November 1993)
United’s first season of the Premier League era was a monumental disappointment, going from champions to narrowly avoiding relegation. They eventually finished 17th, without an away win to their name.
But Leeds were much improved in 1993/94, even mounting another title challenge by Christmas before eventually falling away to finish fifth.
They went into this memorable November rout over Chelsea following back-to-back 3-3 draws against Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield Wednesday, producing another swashbuckling display against a Blues side featuring Glenn Hoddle as player-manager and the likes of Dennis Wise, Gavin Peacock and Frank Sinclair.
Brian Deane opened the scoring before Rod Wallace notched a brace. David Rocastle scored a rare goal for Leeds to put them four ahead before Blues substitute Neil Shipperley struck a late consolation.
Leeds United 4-3 Derby County (November 1997)
Leeds somehow finished 11th in 1996/97 after scoring just 38 goals in 38 games under George Graham’s safety-first approach, a campaign that featured no fewer than nine goalless draws.
So it was a pleasant surprise when they showed a lot more endeavour the following season, with new recruit Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink banging in the goals and a great crop of youngsters emerging.
There’s no better example of this much-improved, new-look United than their remarkable four-goal comeback at home to Derby, in which the usual defensive instincts under Graham completely deserted their hapless backline as they conceded three goals in the opening 33 minutes.
Wallace and Harry Kewell quickly struck back to get Leeds into the game again by half-time, Hasselbaink equalised from the penalty spot eight minutes from full-time and Lee Bowyer sent Elland Road into delirium with a sweetly-struck injury-time winner.
Leeds also smashed the Rams 0-5 in the return fixture at Pride Park later that season.
Leeds United 3-1 Manchester United (Christmas Eve 1995)
Still the only Premier League game to take place on Christmas Eve, Leeds fans were gifted an early present with an excellent 3-1 victory over Manchester United.
Andy Cole cancelled out Gary McAllister’s penalty, but Tony Yeboah put Leeds ahead with a characteristically brilliant solo goal before local boy Brian Deane capped off the result with a header.
Leeds went on to finish a disappointing 13th that season and lost the League Cup final to Aston Villa, but getting one over their old rivals was a rare highlight. At the time, Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle looked destined to beat Alex Ferguson’s side to the title, but it wasn’t to be.
Leeds United 4-3 Liverpool (November 2000)
Almost certainly the most rewatched and repeated game of United’s time in the Premier League, this is a victory defined by one man - Mark Viduka.
The Australian, who had arrived in West Yorkshire that summer, took a little time to get up to speed, but was starting to show what he was made of with four goals in his last four games heading into the November match against Liverpool.
Few would have backed him to double his tally for the Whites in one unforgettable afternoon, but that’s what he did, scoring all four goals as David O’Leary’s brilliant young side twice came from behind to beat Liverpool 4-3.
Viduka showed brilliant technique, footwork and composure for his third and fourth goals to cap one of the greatest individual displays in Leeds’ 100-year history.
Arsenal 2-3 Leeds United (May 2003)
Arsene Wenger’s Invincibles had their revenge the following season when they beat Leeds 4-1 away and 5-0 at home on their way to winning the title, but this was a day that will forever belong to the Whites.
Peter Reid’s team ensured Premier League survival and killed off the Gunners’ title hopes with this excellent win at Highbury, their last league defeat before their record unbeaten run. It was another masterclass from Viduka, who struck the late winner.
“He used his strength and skill to complement Harry Kewell and make the Arsenal back four apprehensive,” wrote The Guardian’s match reporter Kevin McCarra that day. “The latest in his rich vein of Premiership goals was the curled shot that won the game and kept Leeds in England's elite.”
Sadly, all that was destined to come to an end 12 months later, and Leeds have remained in exile until this season’s brilliant Championship title success.
