The Swans would be outclassed on the night by a pacey and robust Whites side who would be clinical in front of goal. Ex-Swan Joel Piroe firing the away side into an early lead before strikes from Wilfred Gnonto and Crysensio Summerville would have the game won by half-time.
The Swans would be better value in the second-half but would be wasteful with what little they had in front of goal before Gnonto would score his second to compound their misery.
Having picked their first league win under new head-coach Luke Williams at the fifth attempt against Hull on the weekend, the Swans came into the game full of confidence.
Liam Cullen’s first-half strike in the 1-0 win from a pre-rehearsed training ground routine enough to earn the three points at the MKM Stadium.
Just three days later from the victory, in form Leeds would travel to South Wales looking to make it seven league wins on the trot in the Championship.
Williams would come into the match with a headache at right-back with first choice duo Josh Key and Harrison Ashby still on the sidelines, whilst Kyle Naughton who had been deputising would only be fit enough to take his place on the bench.
In came on-loan Chelsea defender Bashir Humphries in the only change to the starting eleven.
Leeds would be out to replicate a similar scoreline to the 3-1 victory back in November as they look to put pressure on second-place Southampton as the battle for automatic promotion hots up.
A convincing 3-0 victory over Rotherham leapfrogged the Whites above Ipswich into third and with a deep squad manager Daniel Farke would have plenty of options at his disposal.
The German would make one change with former Swans forward Piroe leading the line, replacing Patrick Bamford who would drop to the bench after pulling up in the warm-up.
It would be the away side who would start the brightest and would be rewarded for their dominance in possession with an early goal. Bulgarian playmaker Illia Gruev finding Summerville who would fire a low effort in from the edge of the box. A massive deflection diverting the balls direction giving Carl Rushworth no chance in the Swansea goal.
With the Swans defence at sixes and sevens, Leeds would double their advantage minutes later. Italian international winger Gnonto allowed to have too much room on the right-hand side of the penalty area before feeding Piroe who would smash a low effort past a helpless Rushworth for his 11th goal in Leeds colours since his August move from South Wales.
With the Swans backs against the wall, they would be in debt to the on-loan Brighton keeper to keep the scoreline growing further. Fulton would lose possession cheaply in the Leeds half from a corner leading to a three-on-one counter attack in favour of the visitors.
The pace of Summerville and Gnonto combining to allow the Italian to bare down on goal. However, under pressure from a recovering Humphries would only be able to find Rushworth in good form to save the effort superbly around the post.
The Swans goalkeeper would not be able to deny the forward a second time just after the half-hour mark as Leeds would go three ahead.
Full back Archie Gray’s pin-point pass from the right finding the perfectly timed run of Gnonto. Twisting and turning the Italian would get the better of Nathan Wood before sending a powerful low drive passed Rushworth into the bottom right-hand corner.
The Swans would improve after the break and nearly pulled a goal back minutes after the restart. Brazilian Winger Ronald finding space on the edge of the area to shoot towards goal but only into the path of forward Jamie Paterson whose stabbed instinctive effort would go just wide of Illian Meslier’s near post.
With the Swans improving in the final third, Paterson would be in the middle of the action once again minutes later. Cullen cushioning Placheta’s cross from the left to the former Coventry man, but leaning backward the finish would be poor sailing high over the crossbar.
It would be Leeds’ pace on the counter attack would be the undoing of the Swans defence once more as they would put the game to bed. Gnonto scoring his second and the away sides fourth of the night. The Italian firing home Summerville’s pass into the bottom left-hand corner following a quick break from the home sides corner.
It would be a tough pill to take for Williams’ side who will now look to bounce back against fourth placed Ipswich in SA1 on Saturday afternoon.
Swansea City X1
Carl Rushworth, Josh Tymon, Bashir Humphries (Kyle Naughton 77), Ben Cabango, Nathan Wood, Jay Fulton (Joe Allen 60), Matt Grimes (Captain), Przemyslaw Placheta (Ollie Cooper 77), Jamie Paterson, Ronald (Charles Sagoe Jnr 77), Liam Cullen (Jerry Yates 60).
Leeds United X1
Illan Meslier, Archie Gray (Connor Roberts 77), Junior Firpo, Joe Rodon, Ethan Ampadu (captain), Ilia Gruev, Glen Kamara, Wilfred Gnonto (Dan James 72), Georginio Rutter (Mateo Joseph 76), Crysencio Summerville (Jaidon Anthony 72), Joel Piroe (Joe Gelhardt 86).
[Lead image: Swansea City FC]
