Seems all Leeds wanted was an early winter break.
Marcelo Bielsa's aspect had suffered a nightmare earlier than Christmas, delivery in 14 targets in three straight defeats.
However having had their ft up for a fortnight, United obtained their new yr off to a dream begin - easing fears their 2022 may finish within the Championship, a vacation spot their opponents Burnley are hurtling in direction of.
At Elland Street on Sunday, Leeds seemed a workforce remodeled from the one which was humbled 4-1 on their final outing right here in opposition to Arsenal 15 days in the past.
That end result got here sizzling off the heels of a 7-0 humiliation at Manchester Metropolis and the Whites have been at all-time low by way of type and squad reserves, with an damage disaster crippling the membership.
For Leeds, then, a Covid outbreak got here at an 'opportune time' - because the membership's chief government Angus Kinnear put it in his programme notes - which means festive fixtures in opposition to Liverpool and Aston Villa have been postponed.
They got here into this important conflict in opposition to relegation rivals Burnley feeling recent and promptly produced their greatest efficiency of the marketing campaign.
'It was a vital victory in a sport that is crucial at this stage of the season,' stated Leeds boss Bielsa. 'I do not ignore the scenario that we're in and I additionally do not ignore what my duties are and that may't not affect my state of temper.'
MATCH FACTS
Booked: Roberts, Llorente
Supervisor: Bielsa 8
Scorers: Cornet 54
Booked: Tarkowski
Supervisor: Dyche 6
Referee: Paul Tierney 5
The emotion the standard stony-faced Bielsa confirmed when Daniel James sealed victory for Leeds within the 92nd-minute - sharing a protracted hug together with his assistant Pablo Quiroga - instructed its personal story.
He had are available for some fierce criticism final month and admitted himself pre-match that he had failed up to now this season. There was, then, an enormous reduction round this end result, which moved the Whites eight factors away from the drop zone.
What happy Bielsa as a lot as something in opposition to Burnley was the identification of his goalscorers.
Leeds have relied far an excessive amount of this season on Raphinha, who had scored or supplied half of their Premier League targets earlier than yesterday. So for the Whites to attain three targets for the primary time in league this time period, and with out Raphinha contributing, was a nod to the standard in Bielsa's squad.
That stated, Raphinha nearly made an outrageous early impression when he clipped the crossbar with an audacious lob from simply previous the midway line.
However Jack Harrison was the person to seize Leeds' opener six minutes earlier than the break together with his first league objective since making his mortgage transfer from Manchester Metropolis everlasting final summer season.
It got here following an inexplicable error from James Tarkowski. Tasked with coping with Diego Llorente's lengthy ball, the centre-half's lazy tried go to Matt Lowton hit the urgent Harrison, who carried the ball into the Burnley field.
Harrison's fast ft then bamboozled Tarkowski as he created house to shoot from an acute angle. And whereas his preliminary left-footed effort was crushed away by Wayne Hennessey, he was first to react to the rebound, steering the ball again in direction of objective together with his proper foot and this time beating the off-balance Clarets stopper.
Burnley boss Sean Dyche knew he wanted to seek out some spark from someplace and introduced on summer season signing Maxwel Cornet at half-time for his first look in a month.
The Ivorian made an on the spot impression. Simply 9 minutes into the second half, Cornet gained a free-kick after being hauled down by Llorente. And he stepped as much as sweep within the setpiece from 30 yards, his tempo and precision beating the dive of Illan Meslier.
This time, Bielsa was the supervisor to behave, bringing on 19-year-old livewire striker Joe Gelhardt for Tyler Roberts and James for Harrison.
The double substitution modified the momentum of the match and - after Raphinha missed a sitter on the again put up from James' cross - Leeds retook the lead with 13 minutes to go.
Mateusz Klich and Raphinha labored a brief nook to Dallas on the sting of the 'D' and the Northern Irishman fantastically swept in first time together with his left foot on his 250th look for the membership.
Any lingering nerves round Elland Street have been then put to mattress in damage time when Gelhardt crossed for James and the winger's downward header was parried by Hennessey, who then watched the ball trickle in behind him.
This defeat for Burnley leaves them two factors behind fourth-bottom Watford with only one win all season. The Clarets have a sport in hand however they're about to lose their six-goal high scorer Cornet to the Africa Cup of Nations.
'I've by no means misplaced perception in these gamers and I will not do,' insisted Dyche. 'The satisfaction I've them is gigantic.
'You'll be able to't simply take a look at Maxwel. Earlier than we had Maxwel we had gamers who stored us within the Premier League. We've got to verify we carry out with out him when he goes away.'
