Leeds United 6-0 Stoke City: FLW report as Joel Piroe scores 4 to leave Leeds on the edge of promotion | OneFootball

Report, ratings & attendance from Elland Road as Leeds United push for a Premier League return versus Stoke City.

Joel Piroe scored four goals as Leeds United crushed Stoke City 6-0 at Elland Road. Leeds will be promoted this evening if Sheffield United fail to beat Burnley at Turf Moor.

Leeds were 5-0 up inside 41 minutes, with Piroe's haul of goals, including a 20-minute hat-trick, and Junior Firpo setting Elland Road up for a potential promotion party in the coming hours.

Willy Gnonto added a sixth in a second-half that saw Leeds hand a debut to 16-year-old Harry Gray.

Leeds United 6-0 Stoke City

Piroe's four-goal haul puts Leeds on the cusp

At an ultra-charged Elland Road, there was no desire to take the promotion race into the final two games of the season amongst the fans.

That was evidently the mindset of Daniel Farke's Leeds players, too, as they blitzed Stoke in a stunning first-half.

The high-press and bravery of Leeds won them the ball deep in Stoke territory on six minutes, with Willy Gnonto and Manor Solomon combining to tee Joel Piroe up for the first of a 20-minute hat-trick.

Jayden Bogle - in a blistering display at right-back - was next rewarded for squeezing high up the pitch, winning the ball off Stoke's defence before squaring for Piroe to convert with ice in his veins.

Brenden Aaronson could've made it 3-0 before Piroe did, forcing Viktor Johansson to save low to his right. Elland Road did not have to wait for that third goal, though, as Gnonto forced the Stoke goalkeeper into another save via an Aaronson deflection, leaving Piroe to convert the rebound into the roof of the net from a tight angle.

Bogle's punishment of Josh Wilson-Esbrand was brutal and, after more superb wing-play, he crossed for Junior Firpo to just about finish beyond Johansson.

Johansson denied Gnonto's powerful effort, but Leeds' relentless first-half wasn't done yet. Bogle hit the post and, on the rebound, Piroe squeezed his fourth goal of the afternoon over the line with the help of Wouter Burger's outstretched leg.

Bae Jun-ho and Ali Al-Hamadi had chances either side of half-time, as Mark Robins made a triple substitution during the interval.

Leeds had chances, too, as Solomon forced Johansson into more work and Bogle smashed the ball into the South Stand.

A sixth goal came via Gnonto's header eventually, as he met Solomon's hanging cross before Johansson could react, having shaken off Lewis Baker's attempts to mark him with ease.

All eyes at Leeds are now on the Championship's 5:30 kick-off when Burnley meet Sheffield United, knowing anything but a Blades win will confirm their place in the Premier League next season.

36,644

Player Ratings

Leeds United

Karl Darlow - 7

Jayden Bogle - 9 (Isaac Schmidt - 6)

Joe Rodon - 7

Ethan Ampadu - 7

Junior Firpo - 7 (Sam Byram - 6)

Ao Tanaka - 8

Ilia Gruev - 7

Willy Gnonto - 8 (Largie Ramazani - 5)

Brenden Aaronson - 7 (Harry Gray - n/a)

Manor Solomon - 7

Joel Piroe - 10 (Patrick Bamford - 5)

Subs (not used)

Illan Meslier

Mateo Joseph

Josuha Guilavogui

Max Wober

read more

Stoke City

Viktor Johansson - 4

Junior Tchamadeu - 4

Ben Wilmot - 4

Ashley Phillips - 4

Josh Wilson-Esbrand - 2 (Lynden Gooch - 5)

Ben Pearson - 4

Wouter Burger - 6 (Tatsuki Seko - 5)

Lewis Baker - 4

Million Manhoef - 4 (Ben Gibson - 5)

Ali-Al Hamadi - 4 (Bosun Lawal - 5)

Bae Jun-ho - 4 (Lewis Koumas - 5)

Subs (not used)

Jack Bonham

Sam Gallagher

Andrew Moran

Favour Fawunmi

read more

Championship table

Leeds & Burnley promoted after Clarets' 2-1 win v Sheffield United

Stoke four points clear of the relegation zone

Daniel Farke's reaction

Leeds' manager spoke following his side's confirmed promotion

Speaking to LUTV after promotion was confirmed, Farke said: "Don't scare me with the Premier League right now. All the clubs who were promoted are already relegated before we were promoted. It's important to enjoy it.

"This club has had tough times in the last years, it's important that our supporters celebrate it and embrace it. We're back where we belong. The next step is to make this club an established Premier League club. You can be sure I will work with all my skills to make sure we do this.

"But this is something for in a few weeks. Right now we celebrate the first step, the most important one, to take this club where it belongs. Let's see what we can do.

"I just want right now beer after beer and champagne after champagne and don't bother me with football. We'll speak about it in a few days."

On Piroe, via the BBC: "It's the fate of a striker that sometimes you have a dry period or a dip in form. Joel had this, but he worked so hard and got himself out of it.

"In the last few weeks, his performances were better, but the ball didn't want to go in the net. It's a bit like shaking a bottle of ketchup, all of a sudden everything comes out and that was a bit the case today."

Mark Robins' reaction

As quoted by the Yorkshire Evening Post, Robins said: "It gives me a lot of food for thought. It was really disappointing. We were poor, didn't take part in it. We weren't at the races, didn't look anything like we've looked of late and let everyone down. It's disappointing.

"Got to move past it because we've got a game coming up and our games are very important. We didn't lay a glove on them from minute one. Didn't stay with runs, didn't really do anything, got exactly what we deserved. It's difficult if you don't put pressure on the ball and give them the freedom of the pitch. They're really good players, you have to make sure you stay with it."