Leeds United Clinch Championship Top Spot For 2024 After Late Victory Over Derby County

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Brenden Aaronson scored a late goal to secure Leeds United's 1-0 victory over Derby County at Pride Park on Sunday. This win ensured Leeds finished 2024 at the top of the Championship. The last time they achieved this feat was in 2019, a season that concluded with their promotion to the Premier League as champions.

Leeds dominated the first half but couldn't find the net, with Mateo Joseph's shot being the only one on target, saved by Jacob Widell Zetterstrom. Despite their efforts, they were unable to score before halftime. After the break, Leeds continued to press for a goal, with Zetterstrom denying attempts from Aaronson, Largie Ramazani, and Dan James.

Derby had a chance to take an unexpected lead when Curtis Nelson's header from a corner was superbly saved by Illan Meslier late in the game. However, Leeds eventually broke through in the 79th minute. Substitute Joel Piroe set up Aaronson, who calmly placed the ball beyond Zetterstrom to secure the win.

This victory marked Leeds' third consecutive Championship away win against Derby, a streak not seen since between 1954 and 1960. Meanwhile, in another late Championship match, Burnley missed an opportunity to move into automatic promotion spots after drawing 0-0 with Middlesbrough.

A win for Burnley would have elevated them to second place following Sheffield United's draw with West Brom. However, they failed to capitalise on this chance. The first half lacked significant action, but things picked up after halftime when Finn Azaz forced James Trafford into a smart save before the hour mark.

Burnley's Josh Brownhill missed two excellent chances to secure all three points for his team. His effort was cleared off the line by Dael Fry before he shot over from close range. This result means Michael Carrick's side has only one win in their last six games, including two draws against Scott Parker's Clarets within just over three weeks.

The results leave both teams reflecting on missed opportunities as they look ahead to upcoming fixtures in their respective campaigns.