‘United are back, United are back’ chorused a jubilant Elland Road as Leeds all but secured their place at English football’s top table for another year.
For a club who have spent just four seasons in the Premier League during the past 22 years, that is not something to be sniffed at.
A ruthlessly dominant victory moved Daniel Farke’s side to 43 points, above Newcastle and nine points clear of Tottenham, albeit having played a game more.
Anton Stach set the Whites on their way with a stunning long-range opener early on before second-half goals from Noah Okafor and Dominic Calvert-Lewin confirmed a handsome win.
Survival is within touching distance now in a season where Leeds have thrown plenty of punches and bloodied a few noses along the way.
A club that continues to intrigue are starting to feel relevant again.
Leeds players celebrate with the scorer of their first goal, Anton Stach, at Elland Road
Dominic Calvert-Lewin was once again on the scoresheet for Daniel Farke’s side
They are indeed back – back on the Premier League map where they will hope to gradually re-establish themselves in the coming seasons.
These could be exciting times for Leeds, with the redevelopment of Elland Road set to increase capacity from 37,645 to 53,000 at one of English football’s most vintage amphitheatres.
Surely not even Leeds, who have been known to fall apart at times when the stakes are at their highest, could mess things up from here.
Nevertheless, the champagne will remain on ice until their safety is mathematically assured, with trips to Tottenham and West Ham still to come.
For now Farke’s players can put their feet up this weekend and watch the teams below them fight desperately for their lives.
The Whites fell short against Chelsea in last weekend’s FA Cup semi-final and there was no mistaking the disappointment in that from their legions of supporters.
Yet when the season kicked off Farke had one goal for his newly-promoted side. Survival.
The Yorkshire giants are stirring under Farke’s quietly impressive guidance and they have claimed some historic wins this season.
Noah Okafor continued his red hot form with another goal, his seventh in the Premier League
Such as beating arch-rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford in a league game for the first time in 45 years and reaching a first FA Cup semi-final appearance since 1987.
Victory over an already-relegated Burnley side who parted company with manager Scott Parker the day before was not always pretty.
There were too many bookings but the result never looked in doubt, with Leeds winning for the third time in their last four Premier League games.
That it was Stach who should open the scoring with a superb 30-yard strike felt apt.
For his industry, drive and touches of class have proved crucial on several occasions this season.
The Germany international was at it again to score his fifth Premier League goal since arriving from Hoffenheim last summer.
He collected possession from defender Jaka Bijol around 30 yards from goal and hit a low, left-foot shot which arrowed into the bottom corner of Martin Dubravka’s net.
Leeds continued to threaten Burnley – playing under interim head coach Mike Jackson following Parker’s exit – and half chances proliferated in front of the visitors’ goal.
Calvert-Lewin and Okafor gave Burnley’s backline plenty to think about but it was not until seven minutes after the break when Leeds scored a second.
And what a delightful goal it was, with Calvert-Lewin running hard inside the right channel before outfoxing a number of visiting defenders with a cut backheel which found Jayden Bogle advancing forward in space.
The wing-back clipped a perfect cross to the far post where Okafor – the two-goal hero of Leeds’ recent win at Old Trafford – was on hand to fire home in clinical fashion.
The hosts had their third when Japan midfielder Ao Tanaka fired goalwards before seeing his effort repelled by Dubravka.
Loum Tchaouna (centre) scored a consolation goal for managerless and relegated Burnley
At 3-0 up and cruising, Elland Road belted out the name of their manager and Farke responded with a wave to the crowd.
Burnley pulled a goal back through Loum Tchaouna’s well-taken shot past Karl Darlow, but it did little to dampen the feelgood factor around Elland Road.
In the closing stages of victory came more acclaim for Farke, who will this summer enter the final 12 months of the four-year deal he signed upon arrival in July 2023.
Will he earn himself a new deal? On this evidence you wouldn’t rule it out.
Leeds are building – on and off the pitch – and Farke’s stock is rising after a memorable season which looks set to end with his mission very much accomplished.
