Dan James bags brace as Leeds romp past Watford to extend lead at top

Dan James scored twice as Leeds won 4-0 at Watford to move five points clear at the top of the Championship.

Manor Solomon and Joel Piroe were also on target as Daniel Farke’s side’s unbeaten run extended to 14 league matches.

It was a third successive win in the league, with Leeds having scored 13 goals in those matches and conceded none.

The result – a fifth straight home loss with Watford still having won just once since Boxing Day – also increased the pressure on head coach Tom Cleverley.

Leeds started strongly with Piroe seeing a first-minute effort deflected over but Watford replied with two efforts that also required deflections to keep them out.

Imran Louza unleashed the first after referee Oliver Langford ignored penalty appeals for handball by Ethan Ampadu, and Edo Kayembe hit the second even harder.

Piroe was soon back for another try and again his shot was blocked – and the Dutchman’s third attempt of the night saw him fire tamely at new Hornets goalkeeper Egil Selvik.

A goal was coming and Kayembe handed it to Leeds in the 20th minute with a misplaced pass in his own half that James seized upon before sprinting into the box and slotting past Selvik.

James smashed home again eight minutes later when Watford were caught by a rapid counter-attack. Brenden Aaronson’s pass from deep in the Leeds half sent Piroe away down the left and his diagonal ball allowed James to make another unchallenged run at the home goal, with the Welshman firing high, with Selvik helpless.

Illan Meslier made his first save of the night, blocking with his body as Moussa Sissoko burst through down the inside right channel.

It was pivotal as Solomon made it 3-0 in the 35th minute. The on-loan Tottenham winger held off a challenger from a throw-in before firing a shot from just outside the box that went in off Watford defender Mattie Pollock.

The half ended with James seizing on a Jeremy Ngakia error but although his shot from 40 yards beat Selvik it bounced wide.

Watford’s woes continued with Kayembe conceding a corner with another duff pass.

That came to nothing however, with Ryan Andrews firing a long-ranger wide at the other end before the hosts made a triple change just before the hour mark.

Piroe made it 4-0 in the 62nd minute by finishing a move that further embarrassed Watford. Ao Tanaka was allowed to turn full circle to find Solomon in the box and his pass saw Piroe easily evade Pollock and slot home a simple finish.

James and Tanaka both fired marginally wide of the same post before Giorgi Chakvetadze hit the bar at the other end and Louza forced Meslier into a rare save.