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Leeds had lost their two previous matches this season after scoring the opening goal in the Premier LeagueLeeds picked up their first victory in the Premier League this season as defender Diego Llorente returned from injury to score the winner over Watford.
Llorente, who picked up a hamstring injury in the defeat by Liverpool, instinctively poked it in from close range after a corner delivery bounced off Watford's Juraj Kucka at the back post.
It capped off a dominant first-half display from Leeds but failure to take their chances made for a nervy ending.
Watford, who were sloppy in possession and passive for large parts of the game, had a goal ruled out in the second half for a foul in the build-up after goalkeeper Illan Meslier's fumble almost proved costly.
But despite the narrow scoreline, Leeds were comfortably the better side, leaving Elland Road with three points for the first time this season.
Ruthlessness needed but Leeds deserved winners
Illan Meslier's fumble bounced off Liam Cooper and went in before Christian Kabasele was penalised for a foul in the build up to Watford's disallowed goalLeeds could have had a handful of goals by half-time.
Stuart Dallas had several big chances to score - forcing a save from Ben Foster early on, the Watford keeper reacting sharply to poke away the rebound from the onrushing Daniel James.
He was teed up by Mateusz Klich moments later but fired over the bar and in the second half blazed another shot into the stands from an unmarked position on the edge of the box.
Dallas' chances were often created out of Watford's sloppiness in possession - Kiko Femenia and Ismaila Sarr among those guilty for giving the ball away inside their own half.
Ironically, Watford's best chance themselves fell for Ozan Tufan when Leeds lost possession in the area but he flashed it over the bar.
While their lack of ruthlessness will be of some concern to manager Marcelo Bielsa, Leeds were dominant throughout and Jamie Shackleton, Raphinha and Dallas all impressed individually.
Substitute Tyler Roberts almost capped it off when he hit the crossbar late on too and it was a disappointing afternoon for Watford, whose day was worsened by an injury to striker Joshua King on the stroke of half-time.
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Leeds United
Squad number1Player nameMeslier
Squad number46Player nameShackleton
Squad number14Player nameLlorente
Squad number6Player nameCooper
Squad number3Player nameFirpo
Squad number23Player namePhillips
Squad number10Player nameRaphinha
Squad number15Player nameDallas
Squad number43Player nameKlich
Squad number20Player nameJames
Squad number19Player nameRodrigo
Squad number11Player nameRoberts
Squad number21Player nameStruijk
Watford
Squad number1Player nameFoster
Squad number21Player nameKiko Femenía
Squad number5Player nameTroost-Ekong- Squad number31Player nameSierralta
- Squad number3Player nameRose
- Squad number33Player nameKucka
- Squad number19Player nameSissoko
- Squad number23Player nameSarr
- Squad number18Player nameTufan
- Squad number25Player nameDennis
- Squad number7Player nameKing
- Squad number10Player nameJoão Pedro
Squad number12Player nameSema
Squad number27Player nameKabasele
Line-ups
Leeds
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 1Meslier
- 46Shackleton
- 14Llorente
- 6Cooper
- 3Firpo
- 23Phillips
- 10Raphinha
- 15DallasSubstituted forRobertsat 78'minutes
- 43KlichSubstituted forStruijkat 90+4'minutes
- 20James
- 19Rodrigo
Substitutes
- 11Roberts
- 13Klaesson
- 21Struijk
- 22Harrison
- 30Gelhardt
- 33Hjelde
- 35Cresswell
- 39McKinstry
- 42Greenwood
Watford
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Foster
- 21FemeníaBooked at 59mins
- 5Troost-Ekong
- 31SierraltaSubstituted forKabaseleat 68'minutes
- 3Rose
- 33Kucka
- 19Sissoko
- 23SarrBooked at 65mins
- 18TufanSubstituted forJoão Pedroat 59'minutes
- 25DennisBooked at 90mins
- 7KingSubstituted forSemaat 45+1'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Ngakia
- 8Cleverley
- 10João Pedro
- 11Masina
- 12Sema
- 16Gosling
- 26Bachmann
- 27Kabasele
- 29Hernández Suárez
Referee:Simon Hooper
Attendance:36,261
Live Text
Match ends, Leeds United 1, Watford 0.
Second Half ends, Leeds United 1, Watford 0.
Foul by Kalvin Phillips (Leeds United).
João Pedro (Watford) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution, Leeds United. Pascal Struijk replaces Mateusz Klich.
Kalvin Phillips (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Juraj Kucka (Watford).
Attempt blocked. João Pedro (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Moussa Sissoko.
Emmanuel Dennis (Watford) is shown the yellow card.
Foul by Junior Firpo (Leeds United).
Juraj Kucka (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Tyler Roberts (Leeds United) hits the bar with a right footed shot from the right side of the box following a set piece situation.
Attempt blocked. Tyler Roberts (Leeds United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Daniel James (Leeds United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Emmanuel Dennis (Watford).
Corner, Leeds United. Conceded by Christian Kabasele.
Corner, Leeds United. Conceded by William Troost-Ekong.
Rodrigo (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Ken Sema (Watford).
Substitution, Leeds United. Tyler Roberts replaces Stuart Dallas because of an injury.
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