Newly-promoted Leeds United continued their barnstorming return to the Premier League as they claimed their first points with a thrilling 4-3 win over Fulham at Elland Road on Saturday.
After a 4-3 loss to champions Liverpool on the opening day, Leeds, back in the top flight after a 16-year absence, produced more vibrant attacking football along with defensive jitters.
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Helda Costa gave them a flying start only for Aleksandar Mitrovic’s penalty to level for Fulham before Mateusz Klich restored their lead also with a spot-kick before halftime.
Patrick Bamford’s clinical finish in the 50th minute gave Leeds breathing space and Costa’s sumptuous second goal of the game six minutes later had Leeds running riot.
But Scott Parker’s Fulham, promoted via the playoffs, were far from finished as goals by substitute Bobby Decordova-Reid and Mitrovic in quick succession kept the result in the balance.
With the game being played at a punishing high tempo, Leeds lived dangerously at times, but hung on for their first top-flight victory since April 2004.
Like Leeds, Fulham’s style was easy on the eye, but Parker’s side now have no points from two games, having conceded seven.
Leeds’ opening two Premier League games have seen 14 goals this season, the most for a top-flight side’s opening two matches since Wolves in 1962-63.
In another match, Dominic Calvert-Lewin hit a hat-trick as Everton crushed 10-man West Bromwich Albion 5-2.
On the second weekend of the new campaign, Carlo Ancelotti’s side fell behind to Grady Diangana’s early goal at Goodison Park.
But Calvert-Lewin equalised and James Rodriguez put Everton ahead with his first Premier League goal before Albion imploded.
Kieran Gibbs was dismissed for pushing James in the face in first-half stoppage-time, a rash reaction that prompted him to issue a post-match apology taking “full responsibility” for his mistake.
Then Albion boss Slaven Bilic was sent to the stands after storming onto the pitch for a furious rant at referee Mike Dean.
Matheus Pereira equalised for Albion after the interval, but Michael Keane restored Everton’s lead and Calvert-Lewin sealed the points with his second and third goals.
Ar 23, Calvert-Lewin is the youngest Englishman to score a Premier League hat-trick for Everton.
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