National media share fresh Leeds United theory after 'chaotic' Swansea City triumph

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Leeds United edged a seven-goal thriller against Swansea City to move to the top of the Championship for the first time since March.

Substitute Wilfried Gnonto was the hero in South Wales yesterday, firing home the winner in added on time after Florian Bianchini had equalised for the Swans moments earlier.

United chief Daniel Farke said: "The whole team wanted to win this game because it was the first time for ages that the club had the chance to be top of the league.

“Sometimes this mentality is more important than just the tactical side of a football game. With my former club (Norwich) I finished top spot two times and won the league, and I’m happy when I’m in position one.

“So I said: ‘come on and claim this top spot’ even if we know this league is a marathon and not a sprint. It is good to be on top, even if it is on goal difference at the moment by the way.”

Here is what the national media made of United's latest Championship fixture:

Nancy Froston - The Athletic

The rise to the top has not been plain sailing for Leeds United — the thrilling 4-3 win over Swansea City on Sunday being a case in point — but Daniel Farke’s side lead the Championship for the first time this season and are where they want to be as they build momentum ahead of a busy period of fixtures.

That it has taken until the last week of November for United to climb to the summit of the Championship is reflective of this battling campaign. At times, they have had to win ugly. Too often opponents set up in a low block to frustrate and Leeds have had to break that down.

Three points, top of the league and the outcome was as many had predicted, but this was a United performance of grit and fight.

“For my former club, I finished two times in the top spot and won the league. I’m happy to be position one in this league (even temporarily) because I am 62 games in charge and I’ve had to wait for these moments,” Daniel Farke, who guided Norwich to the Premier League, said. “I was a bit greedy for it and told the lads that it’s not important because what matters is the points tally at the moment. This league is never a sprint, it’s a marathon and it doesn’t mean anything that we’re at the top of the league, only on goal difference, by the way."

Outsiders might have their own ideas about the destination for Daniel Farke’s side this season. The performance against Swansea showed that this is a team unwilling to let anyone else dictate how they get there. As long as they continue on their current course, it promises to be an entertaining ride.

Adam Lanigan - BBC Sport

With both Sunderland and Sheffield United giving up late equalisers to drop two points each on Saturday, the opportunity was there for Leeds to climb above them with victory in south west Wales.

But they had not won any of their previous four away games, with those dropped points hampering their push to get into the automatic promotion spots.

Daniel Farke, on his 200th game as a Championship boss, made two changes to his team, bringing back in two more Swansea old boys in Dan James and Joel Piroe to go alongside Joe Rodon.

And James made amends for an early miss by setting up the first equaliser for Solomon as the Israel international scored his first goal since joining on a season’s loan from Tottenham Hotspur by sweeping in at the back post.

The Wales international was involved again with his second assist 10 minutes after the break. Released again in the right-wing position, his low ball was aimed for Piroe, but Cabango slid it past Lawrence Vigouroux in desperation to make it 2-2.

Solomon then had the visitors ahead for the first time as he fired in after Sam Byram had broken the Swans' offside trap.

Leeds' route to the top looked to have been halted by Bianchini's goal, only for Gnonto to provide an incredible finale.

Robert Calcutt - talkSPORT writer

Leeds have reached the Championship summit after winning 4-3 away to Swansea in an enthralling encounter. Wilfried Gnonto came off the bench to score the winner in the first minute of second half stoppage-time in the Welsh city.

It was a chaotic Sunday evening fixture. Daniel Farke's side will now head into the new week sitting top of the Championship table with 32 points to their name. They are ahead of Sunderland on goal difference after the Black Cats had to settle for a 1-1 draw away to Millwall the day before.

Farke's side have only lost two league matches and are the second-highest scorers on 28 goals, one behind Middlesbrough. However, with 30 games still left to play and only four goals separating first and third, promotion is far from a certainty for Leeds.

They return to Elland Road on Wednesday night to host Luton Town who are 16th in the table following their relegation last season.

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