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SCHLUPP HAUNTS FORMER CLUB AS PALACE COME FROM TWO GOALS DOWN TO DENY LEICESTER

Jeffrey Schlupp came off the bench to earn Crystal Palace a share of the spoils against former club Leicester – who let a two-goal lead slip at Selhurst Park.

The Foxes looked on course for a first Premier League win since August as birthday boy Kelechi Iheanacho and Jamie Vardy capitalised on defensive errors to have them two goals up at the interval.

But Palace rallied as substitute Michael Olise scored his first goal for the club before Schlupp struck as Patrick Vieira’s side earned a battling 2-2 draw.

Leicester had the best of the first half but remain in the bottom half of the table having taken just two points since beating Norwich on August 28th.

For Palace, this was a strong response to conceding a last-gasp equaliser in their M23 derby clash with Brighton last Monday as they remain unbeaten in their first four home games for just the second time in 25 years.

Vardy had a chance inside the opening minute but could not connect fully with a free-kick into the box and the ball was cleared behind for a corner.

Palace responded well and enjoyed plenty of the ball, eventually forcing Kasper Schmeichel into a double save.

Firstly, Wilfried Zaha collected the ball after James McArthur drove into the box and saw his effort blocked by the Leicester skipper, who then kicked clear Conor Gallagher’s follow-up strike.

Youri Tielemans drew a first save out of Vicente Guaita at the other end, the Belgium midfielder slipping as he shot from distance.

Leicester would take the lead through Iheanacho just after the half-hour as the forward stole the ball off the toe of Joachim Andersen before coolly slotting past Guaita to mark his 25th birthday and his first league start of the campaign with a goal.

Another Palace error would allow Vardy to double the lead as Harvey Barnes burst forward and slipped a pass towards the former England striker. Andersen was in position to cut it out but slipped at the vital moment, allowing Vardy to finish the move for his eighth goal in eight league games.

Barnes hit the side-netting early in the second-half as Leicester looked to put the game beyond their hosts.

But Palace looked more lively in attack with Odsonne Edouard hitting the crossbar with a decent effort, before poking wide shortly after.

Vieira introduced Olise in place of Jordan Ayew with Palace on top and the summer signing from Reading would soon halve the deficit.

Tyrick Mitchell’s cross found the France youth international and his first shot was blocked before he fired past Schmeichel at the second time of asking.

It would be another Vieira substitute who would draw the Eagles level, Schlupp heading in against his former club with virtually his first involvement off the bench to grab his first goal since January.

There were concerns for Vardy, who went down in a heap after McArthur’s stray elbow caught him in the chest but he was fine to continue after a spell of treatment.

Both sides pushed for a winner in stoppage time but had to settle for a point apiece in south London.

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YOANE WISSA SCORES LAST-GASP WINNER AS BRENTFORD STUN WESTHAM

Yoane Wissa thumped home a stoppage-time winner as Brentford floored West Ham 2-1 at the London Stadium.

The Bees leapfrogged their opponents in the Premier League table, courtesy of DR Congo forward Wissa’s last-gasp strike.

Jarrod Bowen thought he had scrambled the Hammers a draw with his first goal in 15 Premier League games 10 minutes from time, but replacement Wissa blasted into the net after the hosts failed to clear from a Mathias Jensen free-kick.

Bowen’s low finish cancelled out Bryan Mbeumo’s opener for the Bees and almost grabbed West Ham a point.

But then Lukasz Fabianski parried Pontus Jansson’s header from Jensen’s whipped free-kick, and Wissa rushed onto the ball to deliver the killer blow.

West Ham paid the price for a host of missed chances and botched build-up, but the visitors impressed again as they continued their fine start to their debut Premier League campaign.

Brentford could have been two goals to the good within minutes of kick-off, and Mbeumo should have buried at least one of his two chances.

First the Frenchman hit the bar with a fine curling effort after a corner, then he headed wide from Rico Henry’s cross.

West Ham failed to heed the warning signs, but were reprieved again when Ivan Toney’s low volley was neatly saved by Fabianski.

A pleasingly open game saw West Ham gain a foothold through neat passing between the lines, and only a heavy touch denied Michail Antonio a sight on goal.

Kurt Zouma nodded just wide from Aaron Cresswell’s corner as the hosts continued to press, but any parity proved short-lived for the Hammers.

Toney’s defence-splitting pass sent Sergi Canos crashing through on goal, and his angled shot forced a loose parry from Fabianski.

Mbeumo was not only first to the rebound but also slid the ball just over the line.

Fabianski almost recovered, but could not make contact with the ball before it had entirely crossed the line.

West Ham’s best-worked moves always ended with a disappointing final ball, leaving boss David Moyes doubtless frustrated given several tactical ruses completely unpicked the visitors’ set-up.

Henry toed the ball off Bowen’s foot just when the Hammers forward looked primed to pull the trigger, Said Benrahma curled wide from 18 yards under little pressure and Pablo Fornals wasted a fine chance with a poor cross.

Toney outfoxed Zouma, leaving the former Chelsea defender for dead before drawing a foul that earned the France international a deserved booking.

West Ham started the stronger after the break, the hosts pushing hard for an equaliser.

Bowen’s heavy touch took him too wide for a one-on-one with Brentford goalkeeper David Raya however, wasting another promising opening.

The former Hull hitman then spurned a glorious chance, heading wide from point-blank range after a neat Vladimir Coufal cross.

Fornals lashed an Antonio cross goalwards as West Ham continued to dominate, only for Henry to conjure a stunning block.

The home side failed to turn plenty of promise into anything tangible however, losing momentum on the hour mark and struggling to push back into the ascendancy.

Just when West Ham started to sweat on a route back into the contest though, up popped Bowen with an accurate low strike to nestle in the Brentford net.

The hosts thought they had secured a point, but there was to be one more twist, with Wissa powering home in style – stunning Moyes’ men and sending the visitors home with all three points.

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BUNDESLIGA: FRANKFURT CLINCH FIRST WIN AT BAYERN IN 21 YEARS

Eintracht Frankfurt’s Filip Kostic drilled home an 83rd minute goal to stun Bayern Munich and snatch a 2-1 Bundesliga win on Sunday, earning a first league victory at Bayern in 21 years and snapping the hosts’ nine-game winning run in all competitions.

Kostic picked up the ball on the edge of the box, charged forward and beat keeper Manuel Neuer with a powerful low drive in the 83rd minute to seal Eintracht’s first win of the season.

The Bavarians remain top of the table with 16 points from seven games despite their first defeat, one point ahead of Borussia Dortmund and Freiburg in second and third respectively.

“Defeats always hurt,” Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann said. “Today that was the case as well. Firstly because it was our first defeat and secondly because it was completely avoidable.

“We did not do some things right just like we had done in the past weeks. The opponents before did not take advantage of it but today we were punished.

“We had a lot of chances to score our own goals.”

The home side took the lead when Leon Goretzka benefited from a Martin Hinteregger mistake to score in the 29th minute.

The Austrian defender quickly made amends by powering a header into the net for the equaliser three minutes later.

Both teams each had a chance to take the lead before the break with Eintracht’s Almamy Toure forcing a superb save from Neuer in the 43rd minute and Bayern’s Serge Gnabry hitting the post from close range a minute later.

Eintracht keeper Kevin Trapp was kept busy in the second half, repeatedly denying Gnabry, Leroy Sane and Robert Lewandowski as the hosts pushed forward in search of the winner.

Yet it was Eintracht who scored what proved to be the winner against the run of play through Kostic before Trapp made another key save in stoppage time to palm a Goretzka shot wide.

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KEVIN DE BRUYNE RESCUES LATE DRAW FOR CITY IN ANFIELD THRILLER

Manchester City twice pegged back Liverpool to earn a thrilling 2-2 draw at Liverpool on Sunday.

All four goals came in a stunning second half where Kevin De Bruyne rescued a point for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Liverpool took the lead through Sadio Mane before Phil Foden reduced the deficit. Mohamed Salah scored a stunner to put the hosts back ahead before De Bruyne grabbed another equaliser late on.

The draw sees Liverpool remain in second place with City behind in third.

“What a game. That’s the reason [over] the last years Man City and Liverpool are always there because we try to play in this way,” Guardiola said.

“Unfortunately we couldn’t win — but we didn’t lose.That’s why the Premier League is the best. It was great, really great.”

City dominated the first half and Liverpool needed Alisson to produce fine saves to twice deny Foden.

James Milner, filling in for Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back, had a torrid half, faced with Foden and Jack Grealish and receiving little help from his teammates.

De Bruyne should have put the visitors ahead 10 minutes before the break but his close-range header went over the bar.

The hosts responded well and Ederson produced a good save to stop Diogo Jota’s effort.

Liverpool went ahead after 59 minutes after Salah skipped past Joao Cancelo to set up Mane to finish past the goalkeeper.

City scored a deserved equaliser 10 minutes later when Foden produced a fine finish from a tight angle.

Salah restored Liverpool’s lead with a stunning solo goal where he jinked past four defenders and slotted the ball over the Ederson.

The champions responded once again five minutes later as De Bruyne’s effort deflected in off Joel Matip.

There was still time for an outstanding piece of defending from City midfielder Rodri, whose superb block kept out a goal-bound effort from Fabinho after Ederson had dropped a cross.

Klopp made no attempt to sugar-coat his team’s first-half display.

“We were too passive with and without the ball and played right into City’s hands. That was the worst half we have played against them,” he said.

“I was more than pleased when I heard the whistle for halftime because we had to adjust a lot of things and we did.

“Second half was completely different. If we only played the second half I would have loved to have won but with the first half I am happy with the point.”

The Liverpool boss also praised Salah for his sensational goal: “Only the best players in the world score goals like this. It was the first touch, the first challenge he wins, the going there and putting it on his right foot and finishing the situation off like he did. Absolutely exceptional.

“Because this club never forgets anything, people will talk about this goal for a long, long time, in 50, 60 years, when they remember this game.

“If Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo score that goal then the world says yes because it’s world class. He is one of the best players in the world, that’s how it is.”

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SPURS GET BACK TO WINNING WAYS AFTER IMPORTANT WIN OVER VILLA

Tottenham got back to winning ways with an important 2-1 victory over Aston Villa.

Spurs had lost their last three Premier League games to an aggregate of 9-1 and the pressure was beginning to grow on Nuno Espirito Santo following a dismal performance in last week’s north London derby defeat to Arsenal.

But Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s strike and an own goal by Matt Targett got the job done as Spurs go into the international break on a positive note.

It would only have been sweeter had Harry Kane been able to break his league duck for the season, but the England captain squandered a number of good chances to go six Premier League games without a goal for the first time since 2015.

Villa were outplayed but found themselves level with 22 minutes remaining as Ollie Watkins scored his first goal of the season, only for the hosts to regain their lead three minutes later.

There was no hiding how big a game this was for Spurs to arrest their slide going into the international break.

In the wake of that harrowing defeat at the Emirates last Sunday, Nuno changed to a 4-3-2-1 formation – one that has suited them better in recent times.

It was a sluggish start, with neither side creating anything in the opening 20 minutes before Spurs began to take the ascendency.

Kane nearly broke his drought in spectacular style as he sent a quickly-taken free-kick from near the halfway line towards goal, but a scrambling Emi Martinez was able to get back and save it.

Spurs made their dominance count as they took a 27th-minute lead.

Hojbjerg won the ball back high up the pitch and played in Son Heung-min. The South Korean returned the ball to the midfielder, who picked out the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

Villa got their act together and mounted a spell of pressure towards the end of the first half but never really tested Hugo Lloris in the Spurs goal, with John McGinn’s fizzed volley from 20 yards that whizzed just wide their best effort.

Some important defending from Oliver Skipp and then Cristian Romero stopped promising Villa moments early in the second half and Spurs soon returned to the front foot.

Right-back Emerson Royal saw an effort cleared off the line by Tyrone Mings after a break down the left and then Son lashed a shot over at the back post after Villa failed to clear.

Son was a clear threat down the left and a fine long ball by Eric Dier played him in on goal but he got too close to Martinez and the Villa keeper produced a good block.

The Argentinian was called into action shortly afterwards as he saved from Tanguy Ndombele after the Frenchman slalomed into the penalty area.

Villa were lucky to be still in the game and in the 68th minute they found themselves level.

A slick move saw the ball played out to Targett on the left and his ball across the face of goal was tucked home by Watkins from close range.

It would have been easy for Spurs to fold after that blow given their fragile confidence, but their response was excellent and three minutes later they were back in front.

Sergio Reguilon set Son free down the left and in similar fashion to Villa’s equaliser, the South Korean’s ball across goal was turned into his own net by Targett under pressure from Lucas Moura.

Although it was Spurs’ afternoon it was not Kane’s as he squandered two further chances, shooting just wide and then being denied one-on-one by Martinez.

Giovani Lo Celso also missed two chances to clinch it, but the hosts got their win.

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LEICESTER CITY FORMER MANAGER, CLAUDIO RANIERI IN TALKS FOR PREMIER LEAGUE RETURN

Former Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri is reportedly in talks over a return to the Premier League.

The 69-year-old Premier League -winning manager was most recently in charge of Sampdoria but now looks set to become the new head coach of Watford.

The Hornets sacked Xisco Munoz this morning after picking up just seven points from their opening seven games.

According to Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, talks are “ongoing” between Ranieri and Watford over a move to Vicarage Road.

Di Marzio also states that Ranieri is “ready” to return to the top flight of English football.

Ranieri would become the second former Leicester boss to lead Watford in recent seasons after Nigel Pearson’s brief yet successful spell in charge.

Since leaving Leicester in 2017, Ranieri has managed Nantes, Fulham, Roma and Sampdoria but looks set to return to England once more.

He is currently priced at just 1/3 with a bookmaker after Di Marzio’s report emerged.

While Ranieri will undoubtedly have little time to succeed at Watford, he showed at Leicester that he can produce instant results.

Luckily for Leicester, it seems likely that enough time has passed for him to want to recruit any of the club’s backroom staff.

His familiar bubbly personality and engaging press conferences could light up the Premier League once again if he is able to get results at Watford.

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LOCATELLI STRIKES LATE TO GIVE JUVENTUS DERBY WIN OVER TORINO

Manuel Locatelli struck late to earn Juventus a 1-0 win over Torino in the Turin derby on Saturday, as the Old Lady stretched their winning run to four games in all competitions and kept a Serie A clean sheet for the first time in seven months.

The Italy international fired a shot in off the post with four minutes remaining, his second consecutive league goal, as Juve rose to eighth place with 11 points, three ahead of their 11th-placed rivals.

Torino controlled the first half as Juve failed to register a shot on target, but Massimiliano Allegri’s side improved after the break and Alex Sandro’s header required a fine save from Vanja Milinkovic before Locatelli’s late winner.

Ivan Juric’s side struggled to threaten Wojciech Szczesny’s goal, and Juventus kept things tight defensively to end a run stretching back to March of 20 matches in a row conceding in Serie A.

Allegri’s side earned an impressive and unexpected win over European champions Chelsea in the Champions League on Wednesday to stretch their unbeaten run in all competitions to five matches.

But the coach warned his players that the local derby would be an even greater challenge, with strikers Paulo Dybala and Alvaro Morata still injured and Torino having two extra days to prepare.

There were early chances for Juve as Moise Kean flashed a shot wide and Weston McKennie blasted over a promising opportunity.

But Toro soon gained control and came close when Sasa Lukic glanced a header wide and Rolando Mandragora’s long-range piledriver was parried by Szczesny.

Allegri introduced Juan Cuadrado for Moise Kean at halftime, with Federico Chiesa returning to the striker role he played against Chelsea.

The change sparked some life into Juve’s attack as the Colombian teed up Sandro with an excellent cross that required a sharp Milinkovic-Savic save.

Locatelli found space at the edge of the area to fire home the winner in the 86th minute, before substitute Dejan Kulusevski thumped the foot of the post with a shot in stoppage time.

Earlier on Saturday, Salernitana climbed off the foot of the table after Milan Djuric’s header sealed a 1-0 win over Genoa, their first victory of the season.

The newly promoted side’s victory moved them up to four points, one behind Genoa in 16th and one more than bottom side Cagliari.

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BRIGHTON MISS CHANCE TO JOIN LEADERS IN STALEMATE WITH ARSENAL

High-flying Brighton missed the chance to go level on points with Premier League leaders Chelsea following a drab goalless draw which ended resurgent Arsenal’s winning run.

Albion edged a rain-soaked encounter at the Amex Stadium but managed just two attempts on target as Leandro Trossard, Dan Burn and Neal Maupay each failed to capitalise on decent openings.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang headed against the outside of a post for the uninspiring Gunners, who were denied a fourth victory on the bounce having begun the campaign with three successive defeats.

The Seagulls sit fifth with 14 points from seven games, with Mikel Arteta’s visitors four places and as many points further back.

Both sides came into the game on the back of morale-boosting results against their fiercest rivals.

Arsenal secured a thumping 3-1 over north London neighbours Tottenham last Sunday, while Albion dug in to scrape a last-gasp 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace the following evening.

Those fixtures came at the cost one enforced change apiece. Albert Sambi Lokonga replaced the injured Granit Xhaka in the Gunners’ midfield, while Albion brought in Jakub Moder for the sidelined Danny Welbeck.

Arteta’s men initially began the brighter and went close in the 23rd minute when Aubameyang grazed the left upright from an acute angle.

But it was Brighton who were far more threatening in the opening 45 minutes.

Gunners defender Ben White – returning to the south coast for the first time since his £50million summer departure – had to be alert to prevent Trossard turning home following slick build-up play from Pascal Gross, Maupay and Adam Lallana.

Seagulls defender Burn then headed another good chance over before top scorer Maupay hooked narrowly off target.

Albion head coach Graham Potter would no doubt have been pleased by the pattern of play but disappointed that none of the attempts tested Aaron Ramsdale.

The Gunners’ England goalkeeper had earlier looked vulnerable when he fumbled a Maupay cross under pressure from Shane Duffy before being relieved to receive a free-kick as the stretching Lewis Dunk blazed over the gaping goal.

Arsenal began the second period with renewed purpose, yet there was little sign of the stalemate ending.

Arteta responded by introducing Nicolas Pepe – who scored three times in his last two outings against Brighton – in place of the ineffectual Martin Odegaard, while Aubameyang was later withdrawn in favour of Alexandre Lacazette.

Lacazette and Thomas Partey combined to send Emile Smith Rowe racing towards goal in the 76th minute but his low effort was turned behind by the legs of Albion keeper Robert Sanchez, with Pepe calling for the ball to be squared across goal.

Brighton finally tested Ramsdale nine minutes from time, yet Trossard’s attempt was tame, before a further insipid attempt came from substitute Solly March.

Buoyed by the home crowd, Albion were ending in the ascendancy.

Ramsdale intercepted March’s header across goal with Maupay lurking for a tap-in, while Duffy nodded wide from a corner.

Moments later, centre-back Duffy survived a brief scare when Smith Rowe went to ground easily in the box. The incident produced an animated response from Arsenal boss Arteta but match official Jonathan Moss was not interested.

Duffy then tumbled in the opposite 18-yard box under a challenge from Gabriel Magalhaes in added time. VAR reviewed the tangle before opting not to intervene as a dull contest ended in deadlock.

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NORWICH CLAIM FIRST POINT OF SEASON IN DRAB DRAW AT BURNLEY

Burnley and Norwich saw their winless starts to the Premier League continue as they fought out a goalless draw which at least provided a first point of the season for the Canaries.

The first 0-0 draw between these clubs – after 44 meetings in all competitions – neatly summed up how their seasons are going to date.

Sean Dyche celebrated 400 games in charge of the Clarets and there was a first Burnley clean sheet of the campaign but those were among the few positive statistics on an afternoon when they extended a club-record winless home run to 14 matches.

Norwich at least ended their miserable run of 16 straight defeats in the top flight but there was little on show at Turf Moor to hint a radical change of fortunes is imminent.

The form of both sides coming into the fixture suggests this could be a Championship fixture next season and it played out like one for much of the afternoon with a lack of quality on show.

Max Aarons flashed an early shot wide for Norwich after Matt Lowton had his pocket picked by Teemu Pukki, who would prove a pest for a Burnley defence without the influential Ben Mee – out with an injury to allow Nathan Collins a Premier League debut in his place.

The summer signing from Stoke was in the thick of it with 15 minutes gone when he was caught by Tim Krul as he came for a free-kick – but Burnley shouts for a penalty were waved away by Kevin Friend.

Tempers frayed again soon afterwards when Chris Wood was booked for a late tackle on Ozan Kabak – the first of four Burnley players to be cautioned before the break.

Their sense of frustration was further fuelled as Friend waved away further penalty claims, though none of them were clear.

Matej Vydra was eased over by Grant Hanley as they chased a loose ball before Jay Rodriguez – who replaced the dazed Czech in the 35th minute – saw his header hit Hanley’s chest, then his arm.

Lowton then hit a shot against Dimitris Giannoulis’ outstretched arm late in the half, though the defender knew little about it.

Instead, the closest Burnley would come to breaking the deadlock in the first half was a Lowton cross which Mathias Normann inadvertently headed at goal, with Krul adjusting well to hold on to the ball.

The angst of the Burnley fans only increased in the second half.

Rodriguez was guilty of an air shot when Krul’s interception of Josh Brownhill’s cross sent the ball spinning invitingly up in the air.

Dwight McNeil then missed an even better chance, looking surprised as Johann Gudmundsson’s cross floated over Rodriguez to find him in acres of space at the back post, bouncing off his leg and harmlessly wide.

In between times, Normann had spun his way into the Burnley box before sending a rising shot over Nick Pope and on to the roof of the crossbar.

The visitors threatened again when Charlie Taylor had to clear from under his own crossbar as Aarons stretched to meet Giannoulis’ cross.

Burnley continued to probe. Taylor went down in the box claiming a push from Aarons but got a familiar response from Friend.

Substitute Ashley Barnes then dragged Krul wide but when he lifted his cross towards the centre of goal, he saw there were no team-mates waiting.

Brownhill then linked up with Taylor to float the ball over for Lowton but he sent his header narrowly over and both sides settled for an uninspiring draw.

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WATFORD MANAGER XISCO MUNOZ DEPARTS CLUB AFTER NEGATIVE TREND OF PERFORMANCES

Watford have parted company with head coach Xisco Munoz after just seven games of the Premier League season.

The club said in a statement that recent results “strongly indicate a negative trend at a time when team cohesion should be visibly improving”.

Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Leeds left the club with seven points from a possible 21. Since beating Aston Villa on the opening day of the season, the club’s only other league victory came against bottom side Norwich last month.

Munoz, who took charge at Vicarage Road last December, had successfully guided the club back to the top flight with a second-placed finish in the Championship last season.

Yet he has become the latest to pay the price for a downturn in form by joining a long list of managers whose tenure at the club has proved short-lived.

His departure means the Hornets are now looking for a 17th new manager in just over 10 years.

A club statement read: “Watford FC confirms Xisco Munoz has left his post as the club’s head coach.

“The board feels recent performances strongly indicate a negative trend at a time when team cohesion should be visibly improving.

“The Hornets will always be grateful to Xisco for the part he played in securing last season’s promotion and wish him well for his future career in football.

“No further club comment will be available until the imminent announcement of a new head coach.”

Former Valencia and Real Betis winger Munoz, 41, succeeded the sacked Vladimir Ivic when he left his role at Georgian club Dinamo Tbilisi.

The club had been fifth in the Championship at the time but were criticised by fans for their overly-defensive tactics.

Munoz fulfilled his brief to guide the club back to the Premier League at the first time of asking but performances this term have been unimpressive.

Diego Llorente scored the only goal at Elland Road as Leeds claimed their first win of the season at their expense on Saturday.

After the game, Munoz admitted his side had failed to match Leeds’ intensity.

“They won all the duels, they shoot more times than us and they wanted to win the game more than us,” he said.