Calvert-Lewin shines as Leeds beat Newcastle 4-1, Botman struggles

Leeds United put on a statement performance at Elland Road, beating Newcastle United 4-1 and moving up to third in the Premier League, with BBC Sport publishing player-by-player ratings after the match.

Calvert-Lewin sets the tone

The standout was Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who BBC Sport rated 9 for causing “havoc” against his opponents. The report stresses that he has a special connection to this fixture: after helping create Leeds’ second through a trademark header involving Jayden Bogle, he also showed the other side of his game to finish calmly for the hosts’ third. BBC Sport adds a striking stat: Calvert-Lewin has scored eight goals vs Newcastle, more than against any other team.

The numbers around him were high too. Noah Okafor earned 8 for scoring Leeds’ fourth, and for calmly setting up Tanaka for the opener. Jayden Bogle also got 8 after being credited with Leeds’ second goal, plus BBC Sport notes his threat level—he twice forced Newcastle’s keeper Lukas Hornicek into big saves before the second goal took its final touch.

Newcastle’s defensive issues

For Newcastle, the ratings underline the difficulty of coping with Leeds’ attacking pressure. BBC Sport gives Sven Botman a 3, pointing to how he couldn’t handle Calvert-Lewin and was left exposed for the second goal. Even with four conceded, Hornicek managed to avoid the worst of the marks, scoring a 6 thanks to key saves that denied Bogle and also thwarted Calvert-Lewin.

Malick Thiaw also comes in low at 3, with BBC Sport describing him as beaten for Leeds’ second, then frustrated after the third, and unable to stop Okafor’s fourth. Amar Dedic receives 4 after shaking off a hamstring issue to start but having a tough night as Leeds targeted that side repeatedly.

BBC Sport’s ratings are based on both the reporter’s grades and the submissions from users, with the on-screen score showing the average.