Aston Villa’s Calum Chambers delivers hammer blow to flailing Leeds

If you are a Leeds supporter of the superstitious nature, you may be wise to look away now. For the first time in almost 20 years, Leeds have fallen to six consecutive league defeats: the latest of which was a chastening watch for Jesse Marsch on his first night inside Elland Road.

The last time that happened? The 2003-04 season that ended in relegation from the Premier League. It is a fact Leeds supporters will be keen to ignore, but just like 18 years ago the reality is that this side are now firmly in a battle to preserve their top-flight status.

It was a night that started with Marsch being serenaded by the Leeds faithful but ended with chants for his predecessor, Marcelo Bielsa, and frustrations aired towards the directors’ box after the hosts capitulated spectacularly in the second half.

Their season is unravelling rapidly but credit must go to Aston Villa, who led at half-time courtesy of Philippe Coutinho’s strike. They withstood Leeds’s surge after the interval, surviving several half-chances before putting them to the sword in clinical fashion.

First, Matty Cash doubled their lead before Calum Chambers’s wonderful strike. It was no less than a Villa side who continue to evolve offensively under Steven Gerrard deserve, with the attacking triumvirate of Coutinho, Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins again impressive.

Marsch was given a rapturous welcome to West Yorkshire, with that noise only matched by the chants aimed in the direction of Tyrone Mings every time he touched the ball in the early stages. Mings looked nervy, with a couple of hooked clearances, but as the half wore on he and the visitors began to settle into the game. The England international had the first real chance with his effort blocked after a Villa