Diego Llorente – Fortunebets

Diego Llorente’s first-half strike secured dominant Leeds a 1-0 win against Watford and their first Premier League victory of the season.

The Spain defender marked his return to action after a three-game injury lay-off with his second goal for Leeds following a corner in the 18th minute.

Leeds, as usual, created and wasted a hatful of chances, and the full-time whistle at Elland Road was celebrated wildly by home fans in a crowd of 36,261.

It was Leeds’ first league win in seven top-flight matches this season, yet it should have been by a much bigger margin.

Leeds burst out of the blocks in typical fashion and Dan James was denied by Ben Foster’s outstretched leg after the Watford goalkeeper had kept out Stuart Dallas’ shot.

Mateusz Klich then ballooned an effort over the crossbar after being set up by Dallas as Marcelo Bielsa’s side laid siege on Watford’s goal.

It was just the start Leeds’ fans had been hoping for as United looked to kick-start their season and they were rewarded with an opening goal.

Raphinha hit the spot with a whipped-in corner and the ball broke for Llorente, who applied a neat first-time finish.

Leeds were furious when referee Simon Hooper waved play on following William Ekong’s challenge on James in the penalty area and more so at VAR’s role in the decision-making.

Raphinha fired into the side-netting after skipping round Foster soon after and Leeds continued to swarm forward.

A defensive howler from Llorente presented Watford with their only sight of goal in the first half, which Turkey midfielder Ozan Tufan blazed over on his full Premier League debut in the 28th minute.

There was no let-up from Leeds in the second period, with Dallas firing over and Foster doing well under pressure from another pin-point Raphinha corner.

Leeds were dominant, but still not precise enough with the final pass and with no end product, the usual anxiety crept in on the terraces.

Most of Elland Road breathed a huge sigh of relief in the 73rd minute.

Goalkeeper Illan Meslier spilled a corner over his goal-line, but referee Hooper ruled out Watford’s ‘equaliser’ for Christian Kabasele’s foul on Liam Cooper.

Leeds twice went close to adding a game-clinching goal in the closing stages. Tyler Roberts’ shot was cleared off the line by Juraj Kucka and when the Leeds substitute followed up, his second attempt hit the crossbar.

Diego Llorente has become the second Spain player to test positive for Covid ahead of Euro 2020.

The Spanish FA (RFEF) said Llorente returned a positive test on Tuesday and was put into isolation, two days after captain Sergio Busquets had to leave the team’s training camp after also contracting the virus.

No other player had tested positive, the RFEF said.

Llorente’s positive result was made public not long after Spain’s U21 squad beat Lithuania 4-0 on Tuesday in Madrid in a match that was supposed to be played by the senior team as its final warm-up before the team’s opening Euro 2020 match against Sweden on Monday in Seville.

The RFEF did not say whether Busquets or Llorente would be cut from the squad, but coach Luis Enrique has already called up six players to practice separately at the team’s training camp.

Enrique has until Saturday to make changes to his initial list in case of injuries or Covid cases.

Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and defender Raul Albiol were expected to begin training in the separate bubble on Wednesday, joining Rodrigo Moreno, Pablo Fornals, Carlos Soler and Brais Mendez, who all arrived earlier in the week.

Personalised training routines would continue for players in the main squad, observing Covid protocols, said the RFEF.

Players who test positive must stay in isolation for at least 10 days, meaning both Busquets and Llorente will miss the opener against Sweden. It would also be unlikely they would be fit for Spain’s second match against Poland on June 19.

The team’s final Group E match will be against Slovakia on June 23, also in Seville.

Spain’s sports minister Jose Manuel Rodriguez Uribes said on Tuesday that the squad will get a Covid vaccine on Wednesday, telling radio station Cadena Ser: “We are making an exception because they represent us in a top-level competition.”

There has been some criticism for the delay in getting players vaccinated, contrary to what happened to the Spanish athletes competing at the Tokyo Olympics.

On the other hand, there has also been criticism for allowing the players to be vaccinated before other Spaniards who were in line for the coronavirus vaccine.

Two Sweden players also tested positive for Covid on Tuesday – Juventus winger Dejan Kulusevski and Bologna midfielder Mattias Svanberg.

The Euros begin on Friday when Italy host Turkey in Rome.