Noel Whelan reacts to Leeds’s 1-0 win against West Brom

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Noel Whelan has told BBC Radio Leeds (broadcast on 1/10 from 21:40) that Leeds United have set the standard with their performance in the 1-0 win against West Brom that has sent Marcelo Bielsa’s men back to the top of the Championship.

The Whites were looking to bounce back after their defeat to Charlton Athletic at the weekend. But they would have known that it was not going to be an easy task with West Brom top of the table.

Leeds played extremely well during the first-half at Elland Road. And they got what proved to be the decisive goal as Gjanni Alioski’s drilled effort was turned in by former Leeds loanee Kyle Bartley.

The second-half was a completely different affair. Leeds seemed to come closest the scoring the game’s second goal. But it was the Baggies who dominated the game and set up an incredibly tense finish inside Elland Road.

However, Leeds held on and have returned to the summit of the second tier. And after a couple of disappointing performances, Whelan suggested that United stepped up in a big way against Slaven Bilic’s men.

“There was pressure tonight on them. There was pressure on them coming here and playing again after Derby, disappointing draw when we should have won that game, hands down and then going to Charlton, off the back of that defeat,” he told BBC Radio Leeds.

“But they’ve come out and they’ve shown the fans, they’ve shown the manager, they’ve shown themselves how they can bounce back, how they need to play, what work rate needs to be put in, how disciplined it needs to be at both ends of the field to get wins in this league.”

Leeds fans would have been forgiven for fearing the worst when West Brom applied the pressure. They dominated games against Nottingham Forest and Derby County. But on both occasions, they only came away with a draw after conceding late goals.

West Brom threatened to unlock Leeds on a number of occasions. But there was some colossal defending – even from Patrick Bamford as he led the line – and the Whites will probably feel that that is their most satisfying performance of the season so far.