Harry Kewell ended his near year-long goal drought to maintain Leeds' drive
for a place in next season's Champions League which they have taken by storm
over the last eight months.
Kewell's first-half finish, coupled with Robbie Keane's first goal for two
months in the second half, were enough for Leeds to stretch their unbeaten
Premiership run to 10 matches in which they have taken a remarkable 24 points.
With rivals for the coveted third place in Ipswich and Liverpool not playing
in the league until their crunch clash at Portman Road on Tuesday, it was vital
for Leeds to apply the pressure.
Manager David O'Leary and his players had underlined the need ahead of the
game for the club to maintain their momentum after a run of just one defeat in
13 matches, and that to reigning European kings Real Madrid.
Following the delicious destruction of Deportivo La Coruna in the Champions
League quarter-final first leg at Elland Road on Wednesday, there was the
prospect of United taking their foot of the pedal.
It is a flaw which has undermined their performances in the past, not least
when they returned from their 1-0 victory over Lazio in Rome in December.
Leeds' following Premier League match was against Southampton at The Dell,
where a lifeless display led to them suffering a 1-0 defeat, leaving O'Leary
warning his side against a repeat.
But this is a Saints team now seemingly rudderless since Glenn Hoddle's
departure to Tottenham a week ago as the south coast club are clearly lacking in
direction.
Prior to Hoddle's highly-controversial move, Southampton had embarked on a run
of five successive wins and had not conceded a goal in seven league games since
January 1, with the club staking their claim for a potential UEFA Cup place.
But life post-Hoddle is an altogether different story as the team, now under
the guidance of Stuart Gray has lost all impetus, inventiveness and
inspiration.
They were lucky not to go a goal down inside the opening two minutes, but
referee Jeff Winter waved away appeals for a penalty when David Batty was
clearly brought down by Dean Richards.
The Leeds fans, though, did not have long to wait for the opening goal, with
Keane - starting his first match since March 3 with Alan Smith rested and on the
bench - dispossessing Chris Marsden deep inside the Saints half.
Republic of Ireland international Keane then set up Kewell for a left-foot
drive from 22 yards which bounced over the outstretched arm of Paul Jones, with
the ball nestling in the bottom corner of the net.
Kewell punched the air in delight, and with good reason as it was his first
goal since April 30 last year and his first at Elland Road in the league for 13
months.
Given the Saints' 3-0 collapse against Ipswich on Monday, it was also the
fourth goal they had conceded in the space of just 67 minutes, following on the
back of their clean-sheet run.
It was evident why the defence had suddenly started to prove so generous as
twice in a matter of minutes Southampton's backline allowed Keane and Bowyer the
time and space for surging runs at goal.
But on both occasions the finish lacked the creativity of the build-up, which
was all too often the case with much of Leeds' approach play as they worked the
openings only for poor passing or control to let them down at vital times.
Clearly, this was a Leeds side playing at half speed, but it was still too
much for Southampton to handle, with the question being whether such a timid
performance would have been evident if Hoddle had still been in charge.
They should have effectively been dead and buried in the 38th minute as a
combination of David Batty and Keane found Kewell beating the offside trap.
With only Jones to beat, and after taking the ball round the keeper, a
stunning block from Richards on the line denied the Aussie his and Leeds' second
of the game.
But the ball remained in play, with Kewell the retriever as he then set up
Keane who had followed up his initial pass with a run into the area, and this
time it was Claus Lundekvam's turn to thwart Leeds with a sliding clearance.
Leeds needed a wake-up call and it arrived in the 63rd minute when a long ball
from Jones picked out Dan Petrescu scampering behind the back of the United
defence after Dominic Matteo had decided to let the ball go.
The Romania international was quick to capitalise, firing in an angled drive
back across the under-worked Nigel Martyn, only to be denied a 63rd minute
equaliser by a superb fingertip save.
Then came a second positive appeal for a penalty when skipper Jason Dodd, back
in the side after a two-month lay-off with a knee injury , clearly used his arms
to block a Kewell cross, but Winter - despite standing just five yards away -
again said no.
Two minutes later Leeds finally added the game-killing second when Ian Harte's
looping through ball from just inside the United half found an all-alone Keane.
The 20-year-old then showed great skill to chip Jones from 18 yards for his
seventh goal of the season for Leeds since arriving on loan until the end of the
season from Inter Milan.
There was still time for a late scare when Richards tapped home what appeared
to be an 88th minute lifeline for the visitors, but the linesman's flag was up
for offside, albeit incorrectly.
Europe is now fast disappearing over the horizon for Southampton, while
another three points for Leeds keeps O'Leary's side on course for a Champions
League return.
Teams:
Leeds: Martyn, Mills, Ferdinand, Matteo, Harte, Bowyer, Bakke,
Batty, Kewell (Wilcox 69), Viduka, Keane.
Subs Not Used: Kelly, Dacourt, Robinson, Smith.
Goals: Kewell 10, Keane 72.
Southampton: Jones, Dodd, Richards, Lundekvam, Petrescu,
Oakley, Marsden, Draper (Pahars 73), Bridge, Davies, Beattie.
Subs Not Used: Rosler, Moss, El Khalej, Tessem.
Att: 39,267
Ref: J Winter (Stockton-on-Tees).
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