Leeds United returned to winning ways at Elland Road with a 2-1 victory over struggling West Ham United, thanks to early strikes from Brenden Aaronson and Joe Rodon that piled further pressure on the London club.
Aaronson opened the scoring inside three minutes, reacting quickest to a rebound after Noah Okafor’s header from Jayden Bogle’s cross was pushed out by Alphonse Areola.
The American midfielder’s effort marked his second-ever Premier League goal — and his first since August 2022 against Chelsea.
Rodon doubled Leeds’ lead just 12 minutes later, powering home a header from Sean Longstaff’s corner after outmuscling Lucas Paquetá, capping a blistering start for Daniel Farke’s men.
West Ham’s misery deepened when left-back Ollie Scarles was forced off with a shoulder injury, and their frustration boiled over when Paquetá had a goal disallowed for offside following a lengthy VAR check.
Former Leeds winger Crysencio Summerville’s late challenge on Longstaff earned him a booking on his return to Elland Road, while Okafor and Bogle went close to adding a third before half-time during an extended stoppage period caused by injuries.
After the break, Aaronson nearly grabbed a second when his deflected shot clipped the crossbar.
Leeds gradually dropped deeper as West Ham took control of possession but struggled to turn dominance into danger until substitute Mateus Fernandes headed home Jarrod Bowen’s cross in stoppage time to halve the deficit.
Despite late nerves and four minutes of added time, Leeds held firm to claim their third league win of the campaign and climb to 13th in the table.
For Nuno Espirito Santo, the pressure mounts. Since replacing Graham Potter in September, he has failed to record a single league victory, with the Hammers now winless in six matches and rooted in the bottom three.
“I’ve been worried since I arrived,” Nuno admitted post-match. “We are committed and embrace the challenge ahead but it’s a big, big one.”
