Wayne Rooney is determined to turn things around at struggling Birmingham after a 3-0 defeat against Leeds left his side facing a Championship relegation battle.

Birmingham sit in 20th place in the table but the former Manchester United and England striker is refusing to throw in the towel despite his own team’s fans calling for his sacking after the final whistle at Elland Road.

Asked where the result and the chants left him, Rooney said: “I’m a fighter and I get football fans’ opinions.

“I have to draw on my career, my playing career wasn’t always about success.

“I was in a relegation battle with Everton, I believe in myself.

“We’ve got a very young squad and it’s difficult for the players as well. The second half wasn’t good enough, but we have to keep fighting.”

Rooney will continue to back his players but would like to add to his squad during the January transfer window.

Rooney added: “I think what is clear is we need some players coming in to help the quality of the team and some fresh faces around the building.

“We are working extremely hard to get players in.”

Rooney was disappointed his defenders gave Patrick Bamford too much space for the opening goal.

He said: “It was not the result we wanted. We knew it was going to be a tough game here.

“Until they scored the first goal, I thought we played well. The first goal makes a big difference to the game.

“You can’t leave Bamford free in the six-yard box because he will punish you. After they scored the second, I felt if we got the next goal we could get back in the game.”

Bamford marked his first Leeds start of the season with the opening goal in a victory which ended a run of two successive defeats for Daniel Farke’s side.

Bamford met a Dan James cross from the right with a perfectly timed header before James doubled the home side’s lead in first-half stoppage time and Crysencio Summerville picked his spot for the third midway through the second half.

Birmingham’s best chance came early in the second half, but Juninho Bacuna chipped wide after being set clear from halfway by Siriki Dembele.

Farke said: “When you head into the fourth game in 10 days on the back of back-to-back defeats, the confidence level you could feel was low in the first 20 minutes.

“We needed to dig in and get the opening goal. Then we controlled the game and didn’t allow them to have chances.

“It was a really good performance. A big win today to return to the dressing room with a clean sheet.”

Bamford’s scoring return was also a high point for his boss, who said: “I’m delighted for Patrick. He has had a really difficult time.

“He had a pretty good pre-season then a long-term injury, he was eight weeks out.

“There was a period where he lost his confidence, but I had a good feeling about today from his performances in training.”

Patrick Bamford marked his first Leeds start of the season with the opening goal in a 3-0 win over struggling Birmingham at Elland Road.

It was far from the sort of free-flowing attacking football Leeds have been known for at home this season but it did not need to be against a fairly toothless Birmingham side.

The victory ended a run of two successive defeats for Daniel Farke’s side and increased the pressure on under-fire Birmingham boss Wayne Rooney, whose team continue to struggle at the wrong end of the Championship table.

Leeds claimed the lead just after half an hour as Bamford met a Dan James cross from the right with a perfectly timed header.

James doubled the home side’s lead in first-half stoppage time when his shot deflected past Birmingham goalkeeper John Ruddy.

Crysencio Summerville picked his spot for the third midway through the second half.

Dion Sanderson got in to block a Bamford shot as the home side threatened inside the first five minutes and was again in the right place to end a run by Georginio Rutter.

Birmingham were using the right wing to good effect and smart link-up play between Jay Stansfield and Oliver Burke almost saw the latter escape into open space and a run on goal.

Leeds were indebted to Joe Rodon’s covering interception to end a Siriki Dembele run behind the defence.

Summerville’s shot forced Ruddy into the game’s first real save after 25 minutes and James’ follow-up was blocked by Emmanuel Longelo.

Bamford opened the scoring with a well-placed header after 34 minutes as a James cross from the right picked out the striker and he rose above the Birmingham defence to head home.

Rodon again tidied up at the back to cut off Stansfield’s run as Birmingham tried to hit back on the break.

Ruddy got down to hold a James shot but was left helpless as the same player saw his stoppage-time effort deflect in off Lee Buchanan.

Leeds’ third-choice goalkeeper Kris Klaesson saved a Dembele shot to maintain his side’s two-goal advantage to the interval.

Birmingham should have pulled a goal back early in the second half as Dembele set Juninho Bacuna free with a pass on halfway. The finish was lacking as his chip over Klaesson was off target.

Ivan Sunjic fired just off target as Leeds failed to clear a corner before Bamford’s shot came back off the post and James’ follow-up hit Buchanan in the face with nearly an hour gone.

Leeds scored their third when Rutter set Junior Firpo away down the left and he pulled the ball back for Summerville to pick his spot from 12 yards.

Ruddy’s fingertip save denied Ethan Ampadu an injury-time fourth in what turned out to be a comfortable win for Leeds.

Leeds manager Daniel Farke insisted his side should have had a penalty after losing more ground in the battle for automatic promotion from the Championship with a 1-0 defeat at West Brom.

Farke was frustrated at referee Graham Scott’s refusal to award a spot-kick for a challenge by Baggies defender Cedric Kipre on Wilfried Gnonto in the 30th minute as Leeds suffered a second successive loss for the first time this season.

Seven minutes later, Grady Diangana scored the only goal to make it back-to-back home wins for the Baggies and move them to within three points of fourth-placed Leeds.

“Why should he go down when he’s one against one with the goalkeeper?” said Farke.

“I think the whole stadium saw the situation but they decided not to give us a penalty.

“Normally if that had been a penalty, it would also have been a red card.

“There was no intention to play the ball so it was a decisive moment in the game.

“It changed so much against a side who was so focused on defending.”

Diangana’s goal came off his knee after his first attempt was blocked by Joe Rodon after Okay Yokuslu split the Leeds defence for Jed Wallace to cross.

Despite having 63 per cent possession, Leeds failed to seriously test goalkeeper Alex Palmer and Farke admitted his team lacked a cutting edge.

“We started well, but the last two or three per cent brutality to get the shot away was not there – that’s why we lost,” said Farke.

“We changed our base formation and brought on offensive players, they brought all their defensive players on and showed great commitment to block our strikes.

“We needed that last few per cent brutality to win those headers or to shoot after a really tidy first touch to get the shot away.”

West Brom head coach Carlos Corberan saluted a “special” performance from his side.

“It was special in terms of the commitment the players put into the game,” he said.

“We knew that to beat Leeds you can only have these special wins if you have a lot of good players, if you’re a very strong team and you play with a lot of team mentality, team spirit and personality.

“We found good possibilities to cross from our right side with Jed Wallace, and from one of these actions, we scored.

“The second half started balanced, but then they changed formation and were very aggressive with a lot of attacking players and we had to adapt our shape and to defend the goal we scored.”

On Leeds’ claims for a penalty, Corberan added: “I don’t know because I haven’t seen the action back yet.

“But Leeds have some of the best players in the last third of the pitch and normally they want to challenge your defenders a lot.”

Leeds’ hopes of automatic promotion from the Championship suffered another blow as they were beaten 1-0 by West Brom at the Hawthorns.

Grady Diangana’s 37th-minute goal was enough to give former Leeds coach Carlos Corberan back-to-back home wins and inflict a second consecutive loss on Daniel Farke’s side, who have won one of their last five games and trail second-placed Ipswich by nine points.

And they did little to suggest they could come back from Diangana’s fifth goal of the season as they failed to test West Brom goalkeeper Alex Palmer.

But they were perhaps unfortunate not to win a 30th-minute penalty for Cedric Kipre’s challenge on Wilfried Gnonto.

Leeds settled quicker and had the ball in the net in the 16th minute when Sam Byram swept home Joel Piroe’s cross on the volley, but the full-back had strayed a yard offside.

West Brom were denied the opening goal in the 23rd minute with their first serious attack.

Djed Spence cleared Kipre’s low volley off the line from Alex Mowatt’s corner before Okay Yokuslu lifted the loose ball over the bar.

Yokuslu then had some defending to do as he blocked Gnonto’s shot at the other end.

Leeds were denied what could have been a spot-kick – with Italy forward Gnonto was at the centre of the action.

Ethan Ampadu chipped the ball forward and Gnonto was on to it in a flash only for Kipre to grab him around the waist. The 20-year-old fell to the ground as he shaped to shoot, but referee Graham Scott waved play on.

West Brom punished the visitors by taking the lead in the 37th minute.

Spotting the intelligent run of Jed Wallace, Yokuslu split the defence for the Baggies captain to slide the ball across goal, and although Diangana’s first shot was blocked by Joe Rodon, his second attempt flew into the net.

West Brom started the second half brighter but they had a let-off from a free-kick when Rodon glanced a header well over the crossbar with Palmer committing himself but failing to make contact.

Leeds wasted a half chance when Gnonto ballooned a loose ball high and wide from 25 yards after Spence’s cross was blocked.

Within seconds Spence’s replacement Jaidon Anthony had the chance to equalise but he could not keep his effort down.

Yokuslu was in the right place again defensively when he nodded away Crysencio Summerville’s curling shot.

The Baggies went close to a second goal when John Swift picked out the run of fellow substitute Adam Reach, whose attempted lob forced a falling save from Leeds goalkeeper Karl Darlow.

Daniel Farke was left disappointed by his Leeds team’s “lazy” performance after falling 2-1 to Preston in a spicy contest at Deepdale.

High-fliers Leeds lost the opportunity to grab any points on the road after keeper Illan Meslier was shown a red early after the break for pushing Preston striker Milutin Osmajic in the face.

With the Montenegro international rolling around on the floor, referee Josh Smith went straight to his top pocket for the red card before Alan Browne put the home side ahead two minutes later.

Following the game, Farke questioned the severity of the incident due Osmajic’s reaction.

“It’s disappointing because the second player [Osmajic] really has nothing to do with it,” he said.

“He’s come in and tried to provoke Illan then he goes and rolls around 10 times.

“Maybe the referee should sense what was really happening there. Maybe a yellow card would have been a fairer outcome.

“Having said that I can’t complain because we’ve gone and lost to a Preston team who have worked and fought so hard.

“We were a bit lazy in certain moments, but sometimes this does happen after we had been praised so much during the week.”

With just 10 men, Leeds bounced back with an equaliser in the 83rd minute, Dan James tripped by Ali McCann in the box, leaving Pascal Struijk to slot home from the spot to make it 1-1.

The game was not level for long, before Liam Millar’s heroics pushed Preston ahead once more in a storming run that caught Farke’s team off guard.

“We didn’t create nearly enough chances, and then in the second half early, we have the key moment with the red card,” added Farke.

“We produced a great reaction after that, the lads were brave and we got ourselves an equaliser that I felt we deserved. We then allow Preston to make it 2-1 though.

“Millar has been allowed to run 40 yards at us and then he’s got himself a dream goal.”

Preston manager Ryan Lowe was pleased with his team’s change in attitude and performance after a tough few weeks.

With Browne and Miller linking up on several occasion and both finding the back of the net, Lowe’s side provided some bite, including a brilliant first half, in a tough Boxing Day battle.

“The lads were excellent today, both with and without the ball,” he said.

“They were fantastic, they acquitted themselves brilliantly from start to finish.

“I thought we were the better team in the first half – we had that edge about us. Then in the second half after the red card we knew we’d have to be dogged and resolute.

“Of course, the game changed a bit after the red card, but we kept going and in the end we’ve got a big that win we deserved.

“We’ve all been disappointed over recent weeks, but the results we’ve had have definitely not been for the lack of trying.

“I know we might not be blessed with as much quality in our squad as ones like Leeds, but every one of my players shows a never-say-die attitude.”

Preston turned the form book on its head as they edged out high-flying 10-man Leeds 2-1 at Deepdale.

Liam Millar was the North End hero, firing home brilliantly into the top corner to win a dramatic game in the 89th minute.

Leeds blew their chance to close the gap on the Championship’s top two after keeper Illan Meslier inexplicably earned himself a straight red card early in the second half.

With a full house watching on, the Roses battle atmosphere was white hot as the two teams got under way for the early kick-off.

The first opportunity went Leeds’ way. Djed Spence made a purposeful break down the left and crossed in for Joel Piroe, but his strike was blocked.

There was an even better block at the other end soon after when Glen Kamara expertly got in the way of Ben Whiteman’s shot.

Given Preston boss Ryan Lowe’s much-publicised backing from the club hierarchy during the week, there was certainly no hint of pressure early on as the stuttering hosts – and their fans – were giving it everything.

Canadian winger Millar whipped in a terrific cross, but skipper Alan Browne missed it by inches.

Millar then fluffed a great chance when, after being found in acres of space by Brad Potts, he blazed woefully over the top from 18 yards.

Millar went much closer in the 34th minute, with a brilliant curling effort from an angle forcing Meslier to produce a super save to keep the scores level.

Leeds’ cause was seriously hindered just eight minutes after the restart when a total loss of discipline cost Meslier dearly.

After initially clashing with Whiteman following a comfortably-taken cross from the right, the Leeds keeper then pushed striker Milutin Osmajic in the face after he had intervened and left referee Josh Smith reaching straight to his top pocket for the red card.

Just two minutes later, and with sub keeper Karl Darlow now having replaced Piroe, Leeds fell behind.
Browne found space in the box as he headed home Millar’s pinpoint cross.

Preston, clearly buoyed and now with a goal and a man advantage, fluffed a decent chance to make it two at the three-quarter point of the game when Browne this time smashed wastefully over the top from the edge of the box.

Georginio Rutter went close for the 10 men, before parity was restored, somewhat against the run of play, in the 83rd minute.

Dan James jinked into the box before being tripped by McCann, leaving skipper Pascal Struijk to slot home from the spot to make it 1-1.

However, that was not enough to earn Leeds a point as Millar darted into the visitors’ box before curling home sweetly to seal the deal just before the game headed into added time.

Leeds boss Daniel Farke warned his players they won only three points after their resounding 4-0 victory against automatic promotion rivals Ipswich.

Skipper Pascal Struijk’s early header, Leif Davis’s own goal against his former club and Crysencio Summerville’s penalty put Leeds 3-0 up at half-time.

Farke’s side kept the hammer down after the break to the delight of a raucous Elland Road crowd as Joel Piroe added a fourth, while the Dutch forward and team-mate Georginio Rutter both saw shots hit the crossbar.

It was a statement win for Leeds as they closed the gap on second-placed Ipswich to seven points and extended their unbeaten home run this season to 12 matches.

Farke said: “To win three points is always priceless. That’s the most important thing. It was good also for our goal difference.

“And yes, if you win in such a manner against one of the best sides in this league, then it’s also good for the confidence and a big boost for the mood.

“But nothing major has changed. It’s not like right now we are sitting top of the table.

“Ipswich are still in a really good position and it’s important also that we protect our position because we can expect the teams around us to pick up many points and we have to keep going.”

Ipswich were bidding to extend their advantage over Leeds to 13 points, but were overrun and outclassed in just their third league defeat this season.

“When you deliver such a performance in such a spotlight game it also sends a bit of a message out, but it’s not more than three points,” Farke added.

“It’s not possible in a game of football to put in a perfect performance, but I will say it’s probably our most mature performance of the season.

“We played one of the top sides of this level and we were all over them. We fully deserved a 4-0 win.”

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna, who guided the club to promotion in May, suffered his first defeat by more than two goals in two seasons as their manager.

“Of course it was a disappointing game that didn’t got the way we wanted it to go,” he said.

“It certainly wasn’t an enjoyable experience, but over the course of a long season you’re going to have days that don’t go your way and today was one of them.

“We’ll learn from it and move on really, really quickly.”

Ipswich, who went close through Conor Chaplin’s shot, which skimmed a post, and Nathan Broadhead in the first-half, must regroup in time for the visit of leaders Leicester on Boxing Day, while Leeds play at Preston.

Leeds boss Daniel Farke warned his players they won only three points after their resounding 4-0 victory against automatic promotion rivals Ipswich.

Skipper Pascal Struijk’s early header, Leif Davis’s own goal against his former club and Crysencio Summerville’s penalty put Leeds 3-0 up at half-time.

Farke’s side kept the hammer down after the break to the delight of a raucous Elland Road crowd as Joel Piroe added a fourth, while the Dutch forward and team-mate Georginio Rutter both saw shots hit the crossbar.

It was a statement win for Leeds as they closed the gap on second-placed Ipswich to seven points and extended their unbeaten home run this season to 12 matches.

Farke said: “To win three points is always priceless. That’s the most important thing. It was good also for our goal difference.

“And yes, if you win in such a manner against one of the best sides in this league, then it’s also good for the confidence and a big boost for the mood.

“But nothing major has changed. It’s not like right now we are sitting top of the table.

“Ipswich are still in a really good position and it’s important also that we protect our position because we can expect the teams around us to pick up many points and we have to keep going.”

Ipswich were bidding to extend their advantage over Leeds to 13 points, but were overrun and outclassed in just their third league defeat this season.

“When you deliver such a performance in such a spotlight game it also sends a bit of a message out, but it’s not more than three points,” Farke added.

“It’s not possible in a game of football to put in a perfect performance, but I will say it’s probably our most mature performance of the season.

“We played one of the top sides of this level and we were all over them. We fully deserved a 4-0 win.”

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna, who guided the club to promotion in May, suffered his first defeat by more than two goals in two seasons as their manager.

“Of course it was a disappointing game that didn’t got the way we wanted it to go,” he said.

“It certainly wasn’t an enjoyable experience, but over the course of a long season you’re going to have days that don’t go your way and today was one of them.

“We’ll learn from it and move on really, really quickly.”

Ipswich, who went close through Conor Chaplin’s shot, which skimmed a post, and Nathan Broadhead in the first-half, must regroup in time for the visit of leaders Leicester on Boxing Day, while Leeds play at Preston.

Leeds kick-started their bid for an instant Premier League return with a thumping 4-0 win against automatic promotion rivals Ipswich at Elland Road.

Skipper Pascal Struijk’s early header, Leif Davis’s own goal and Crysencio Summerville’s penalty left the home fans bouncing at half-time as the Tractor Boys hurtled towards only their third league defeat of the season.

Joel Piroe crashed home an emphatic finish early in the second half and Leeds, who dropped five points in their previous two matches, could have added more.

Piroe and Georginio Rutter both saw efforts hit the woodwork and while Conor Chaplin’s first-half shot clipped a post, it was one-way traffic in the lunchtime kick-off.

Daniel Farke’s side extended their unbeaten home record this season to 12 matches and cut the gap between themselves and second-placed Ipswich to seven points.

Leeds will be hoping Kieran McKenna’s side drop more points against leaders Leicester on Boxing Day.

Ipswich defender Davis had a game to forget back at his former club as it was also his clumsy first-half challenge on Summerville which led to Leeds’ penalty.

Since losing to Leeds at Portman Road in a seven-goal thriller in August, Ipswich had lost just one of their following 18 matches.

But in front of an expectant home crowd they fell behind in the eighth minute.

Piroe’s header from Summerville’s corner was saved by Vaclav Hladky and Struijk was first to the rebound to head Leeds in front from two yards.

Ipswich responded through Nathan Broadhead’s effort from outside the box and began to force their way back into the game.

The visitors were never allowed to settle, though, and Leeds turned defence into attack to double their lead in the 25th minute.

Teenager Archie Gray won possession deep in the right-back position before a swift exchange of first-time passes sent Summerville hurtling into Ipswich’s box and his low cross was turned into his own net by Davis.

Ipswich came within a whisker of pulling one back when Chaplin’s superb shot skimmed Illan Meslier’s left-hand post.

Summerville was then heavily involved again as Leeds went three-up on the stroke of half-time.

He was sent charging into the area again, this time by Dan James, and after being bundled over by Davis, he picked himself up to bury the subsequent spot-kick for his 11th league goal of the season.

Leeds kept their foot to the floor at the start of the second period, with Piroe’s rising drive hitting the underside of the crossbar.

The Dutch forward was not to be denied soon after, crashing home his ninth league goal of the season from the edge of the area after another Leeds counter-attack.

The home fans were in raptures, baying for more and Leeds responded via Rutter, whose deflected shot from the edge of the box struck the crossbar.

Daniel Farke was a frustrated manager after his promotion-chasing Leeds side were held to a 1-1 draw by mid-table Coventry at Elland Road.

Second-placed Ipswich’s 2-2 draw at Norwich in the early kick-off had presented Leeds with the chance to close the gap on the Championship’s automatic promotion places.

Farke said: “My feelings are disappointment and frustration. When you win a point at this level it is always valuable, but it was a case of two points lost.

“We should have won, and we should have got three points. I want us to feel this frustration and not talk too much about the game.

“It was clear Coventry put everyone who could defend on the team sheet. It was clear they would sit very deep, and we would need to be patient.

“We created several good chances in the first half, but we could have done a little bit more.”

Farke felt his side were made to pay for missed chances and for failing to deal with a Coventry counterattack which led to their goal.

He said: “The problem is we didn’t bury the game. We had players behind the ball but allowed the cross to come in.

“There was one cross we had to deal with in the whole game and we didn’t deal with it. We should have defended the situation much better.

“I was pleased with the reaction of my lads when you get such a sucker punch. The amount of chances we missed late in the game was unbelievable.”

Leeds finally took the lead after nearly an hour as Crysencio Summerville curled a shot past the dive of Brad Collins.

Ethan Ampadu had fed Georginio Rutter and his clever touch and pass found Summerville who shot home from the corner of the six-yard box.

Coventry earned a point through a towering header by Bobby Thomas and could have won it had substitute Callum O’Hare connected with a low cross into the Leeds area shortly after.

Leeds pressed for a late winner, but Collins twice denied Rutter before Dan James hooked the ball wide of goal from a chance he should have done better with.

Coventry’s Mark Robins praised his players for their ‘brilliant’ performance.

The Coventry boss said his squad had shown their determination following a draw against Southampton on Wednesday.

He said of Leeds: “They’ve just got unbelievable talent. When you tire because of the squad difference that is why it was a brilliant performance.

“It was a difficult week for us when we haven’t got the depth of squad others have.

“It was a great performance. They have got a squad who have got a wealth of talent.

“We were lucky because the crowd travel in big numbers, they are noisy and get behind us. The amount of energy they have had to expend over the two games.”

Robins was disappointed his side had not punished Leeds for failing to take their chances.

He said: “I am disappointed because of the chances we missed at the end we could have gone and won it. We always carried a threat so that was really pleasing for me. When you come to a place that nobody pays too much attention to Coventry.

“If we could have taken one of the chances we had on the counterattack.”

Leeds missed the chance to close the gap on the Championship’s automatic promotion places as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Coventry at Elland Road.

Second-placed Ipswich had drawn 2-2 at Norwich in the early kick off but Daniel Farke’s side failed to take advantage.

Crysencio Summerville opened the scoring with nearly an hour gone after being set up by Georginio Rutter.

Defender Bobby Thomas hit back with 66 minutes played as he rose highest to head home.

Leeds did not start at their usual fast pace which had seen them win seven Championship home matches in a row.

Ben Sheaf’s fine tackle denied Joel Piroe a chance to shoot as Leeds looked to add a goal to their early dominance.

Sheaf brought a save out of Illan Meslier with a shot from the edge of the area.

Tatsuhiro Sakamoto then shot wide from a similar position as Coventry created another opening.

Leeds twice went close as first Glen Kamara was crowded out in the Coventry area and then Rutter failed to get a touch to a low Dan James cross.

James fell in the Coventry area under pressure from Joel Latibeaudiere as they chased an Ethan Ampadu pass but referee Geoff Eltringham rightly ruled there was no contact.

Leeds were guilty of trying to be too cute at both ends of the pitch and Rutter’s touch which failed to put Archie Gray through with a run on goal was typical of that.

Rutter flashed a shot just wide, Thomas blocked the French striker’s low cross and Joe Rodon headed a corner off target as Leeds looked for an opening.

Ampadu blocked Sheaf’s pass and Summerville fed Rutter but his missed shot meant another chance went begging in a goalless first half.

Leeds began the second period camped in the Coventry half but were unable once again to turn their early dominance into a real chance.

Rutter’s shot was blocked in the area but he had a telling contribution to the opening goal after 57 minutes.

Ampadu fed Rutter and his clever touch and pass set up Summerville who curled a low shot around the dive of Brad Collins.

Collins pulled off a one-handed save to deny James who shot on the turn and Coventry made Leeds pay for wasted chances as Thomas headed home the equaliser.

Sakamoto’s cross from the right saw the defender rise highest in the area to head past Meslier.

Substitute Callum O’Hare should have made it 2-1 to the visitors but could not connect with a low cross.

Summerville’s attempt at a repeat of his goal was repelled by Collins who also denied Rutter twice in quick succession and James hooked just wide in stoppage time as Coventry held on.

Sunderland caretaker Mike Dodds believes Jobe Bellingham can emerge from his superstar brother’s shadow and go “to the very top” himself after the teenager’s late winner ended Leeds’ seven-game unbeaten run.

The 18-year-old headed his fourth career goal in the 78th minute to secure a 1-0 EFL Championship win over the third-placed Whites on the same night his elder sibling and England international Jude was helping Real Madrid to victory over Union Berlin in the Champions League.

Dodds admitted it is “really difficult” for young Bellingham as he strives to make his way in a sport where his 20-year-old brother is regarded as one of the best on the planet, but he believes he has all the attributes to make a name for himself.

“Both brothers have a very similar mindset in terms of their relentless pursuit of where they want to get to,” said Dodds.

“He made a really brave and tough decision to leave Birmingham, the club he supported all his life. Thankfully from my perspective, it looks like he’s made the right decision and I’m sure he would reiterate that.

“But it is tough for him, it is tough for him. And it will only get easier as he gets credit in the bank for himself.

“I think it speaks volumes for Jobe that as an 18-year-old boy in the Championship, he could play as a nine against West Brom on Saturday and then a 10 against Leeds tonight.

“That shows what quality and class he has and just highlights what a fantastic talent he is regardless of the name on the back of his shirt.

“I think he can go to the very top. I’ve worked with a lot of young players and he would be up there with the very best I’ve worked with.”

Dodds was “over the moon” after he made it back-to-back home wins over West Brom and Leeds since taking the reins after the sacking of Tony Mowbray last week. Reims manager Will Still is currently the favourite to take over but Dodds expects to be in charge for Saturday’s trip to Bristol City.

“I’ve not had enough time to process what’s actually happened,” he said. “It’s been a whirlwind since last Tuesday. I knew how much effort I’d have to put in to prepare for these games and I’m tired.

“I’ve got a day off tomorrow and I’m going to spend the day Christmas shopping and trying to switch off. Then Thursday will be business as usual in terms of preparing for Saturday.”

Leeds boss Daniel Farke was loathe to criticise his team after they had won six of their previous seven matches.

“Congratulations to Sunderland for a great defensive effort,” he said.

“In general, I’m struggling to criticise my lads too much. It was a difficult away game and I thought we dominated for many periods but we didn’t find the cutting edge today.

“And credit to Sunderland, they tried to park the bus and they did really well. They gave their life in order to defend everything.”

Jobe Bellingham notched a second-half winner as managerless Sunderland ended high-flying Leeds’ seven-game unbeaten run at the Stadium of Light.

The younger brother of Real Madrid and England superstar Jude scored the fourth goal of his fledgling career to eke out a 1-0 victory over Daniel Farke’s third-placed side, who slipped 10 points behind new EFL Championship leaders Ipswich.

It was a second win in two games for Sunderland caretaker Mike Dodds since the sacking of Tony Mowbray last week and the Black Cats – for whom Will Still is the favourite to take the reins on a permanent basis – remain sixth in the table.

Dodds made three changes to the side that started Saturday’s 2-1 win at home to West Brom, with Jenson Seelt, Abdoullah Ba and Alex Pritchard all added as Pierre Ekwah, Adil Aouchiche and Patrick Roberts dropped to the bench.

There was one enforced alteration to the Leeds team from Saturday’s 2-0 victory at Blackburn as Sam Byram missed out through injury and Djed Spence slotted in at left-back for his first start since joining on loan from Tottenham in the summer.

The visitors started brightly and had the first attempt of the night in the fourth minute when Crysencio Summerville’s inswinging free-kick from wide on the left had to be tipped behind for a corner by Anthony Patterson.

Leeds – enjoying the majority of the early possession – went close again in the 16th minute after working the ball towards Spence, who curled a low right-footed effort just wide from 20 yards out.

Having been on the back foot, Sunderland – largely inspired by Jack Clarke and Alex Pritchard – gained the upper hand as the half wore on and should have gone in ahead at the break.

Pritchard was desperately unlucky to see a 21st-minute strike from the angle of the box drift agonisingly wide of the far post.

Then on the half hour, the former Norwich and Huddersfield midfielder’s free-kick from wide on the left caused panic in the Leeds box before being scrambled clear.

Seconds later Illan Meslier made a sensational save when he dived full stretch to his left to claw out Seelt’s header following a Pritchard corner into the box.

Another Pritchard deliver in the 38th minute should have led to a Sunderland opener, but Bellingham sent a free header wide from six yards out.

The hosts continued to threaten after the interval and Niall Huggins forced another save from Meslier after Archie Gray’s headed clearance fell kindly to him on the edge of the box.

At the other end, Glen Kamara had a strike from edge of the box blocked by Patterson before Summerville tested the Sunderland keeper in the 72nd minute after a rapid counter-attack.

But Sunderland made the breakthrough in the 78th minute when 18-year-old Bellingham reacted sharply to nod a bouncing ball beyond Meslier from four yards out after Pritchard – stationed in the D outside the box – headed the ball back into the danger area following an attempted clearance by Pascal Struijk.

Daniel Farke praised the “ice cold” finishing of Dan James and Crysencio Summerville after their goals gave Leeds a deserved 2-0 win at Blackburn.

The Championship’s in-form side comfortably brushed aside a spirited Rovers side thanks to clinical strikes, first through James’ fine low 27th-minute effort, and then Summerville’s cool finish – his third in the last four games.

They have dropped just five points in their last 10 games, and they are ominously placed in third, stretching their unbeaten run to seven.

Farke was pleased with all aspects of the performance, and was delighted with how his team took their chances.

He said: “Two really good possession sides played against each other and you have to accept that both sides will have their spells where they dominate the game in possession, but also to be especially switched on in the moments when you win the ball to be there and use quick counter attacks and this is what we did more or less for both goals.

“Good winning of the ball before the first goal, Sam Byram, before the second Ethan Ampadu and then to play two times, really good football, really good counter attacks, especially the second goal was a great, great team goal, and also ice-cold finishes from James and Summerville. I’m pretty happy with this.

“I’m especially pleased that we travel back today with a clean sheet against a really good and dangerous side. We didn’t allow them to have much. They had their spells in possession but in terms of big chances, there was not too much. It was important after a few weeks where we have conceded one goal, sometimes even two goals, today to return absolutely rock solid defence with a clean sheet. It’s a really good performance and a massive win for us. I’m pretty delighted.”

Blackburn missed the chance to move into the play-offs after losing a second consecutive game and though Jon Dahl Tomasson was pleased with his side’s performance, he said Leeds were more clinical.

He said: “We’re extremely disappointed to lose the game. I think overall it was an excellent performance from my team against a very good squad, a Premier League squad with a lot of good players. We all know how good Leeds are in transitions. They scored two goals in transitions.

“I think the difference with the two teams was the clinical things. We probably got into better areas than the opponent, but played against a very good side. I think my players did a good job.

“We shouldn’t forget that of course this is a very good side. I said it before the game, I think they will get automatically promoted. They should as well. We know how difficult it is to cope with those transition moments and the quality which they have. But still I thought we were in the game for a long time. Second half actually, I think we were the much better side.

“I think we got into very good areas where we were not connected well enough in the final third. But they were just a little more clinical, and of course quality.”

Leeds kept up the pressure on the Championship’s top two with an impressive 2-0 win at Blackburn.

In a test of their credentials against a vibrant home side, Daniel Farke’s men passed with flying colours, and a goal in each half did the damage.

Dan James scored for the third game in succession to fire the visitors into a deserved lead and with Blackburn searching for an equaliser, Crysencio Summerville’s dinked finish 15 minutes from time sealed the points.

Even more impressive is that they limited Rovers to precious few chances, with Illan Meslier denying Arnor Sigurdsson late on.

The victory is Leeds’ sixth in the last seven and the league’s form side are well placed to pounce, should Ipswich or Leicester slip up.

It is a fifth home defeat in seven for Blackburn, who are still well placed for a play-off push but their Ewood form is a concern.

The hosts started brightly without testing Meslier but Leeds were soon into their stride, with Summerville lashing wide when a corner was cleared to him. They went closer in the 18th minute when Joel Piroe’s 20-yard free-kick took a wicked deflection but landed just wide of the right post, much to Blackburn’s relief.

Leeds spurned a glorious chance when Summerville dispossessed Hayden Carter and the ball found Georginio Rutter six yards out but he clipped the ball wide with the goalkeeper to beat.

He made amends in the 27th minute when he powered forward and shrugged off James Hill before finding James on the right who drilled the ball unerringly into the bottom left corner for his seventh of the season.

James flashed an inviting ball across the face of goal soon after, but Rutter could not get on the end of it, while at the other end, Sammie Szmodics headed over a Hill cross.

Blackburn wanted a penalty just after the restart when Andrew Moran’s cross struck Pascal Struijk’s arm but Bobby Madley waved the protests away. From the resulting corner, Szmodics fired wide when the ball felt to him 25 yards out.

But Leeds carried an almighty threat on the break and Wilfried Gnonto was denied a 73rd-minute goal thanks to an outstanding piece of goalkeeping from Leo Wahlstedt who brilliantly tipped his powerful strike over after it took a deflection.

The reprieve was brief as Leeds sealed victory in the 75th minute with a flowing move that saw Archie Gray exchange passes with Rutter before his first-time ball found Summerville in the area and he was coolness personified, lifting the ball over Wahlstedt.

Meslier made a tremendous save moments later, tipping Sigurdsson’s header over, but Leeds comfortably saw the game out, sending the 7,500 travelling fans home happy.