It was a victory for fortitude, for humility, and for Marcelo Bielsa. He overcame the London Curse, VAR and the worst injury crisis I’ve known in thirty years of watching English football to beat high flying West Ham on a remarkable Sunday afternoon.

What a game, what a win, and what a start to the year! After Bielsa stayed out with the players following their 7-0 drubbing at Manchester City, and the fans cheered them like heroes after the 4-1 defeat at home to Arsenal, the players repaid these acts of love in the only way they could, by sweating blood to beat Burnley.

Saturday evening was a tough watch. Arsenal cut through Leeds with more ease and frequency than Manchester City did in their 7-0 victory four days earlier, and if it wasn’t for Meslier – our phenomenon between the sticks – it would have been 7-0 by half-time.

Having previously written about last-minute equalisers, it gives me great pleasure to write about a last-minute winner. However, my reaction to Raphinha’s 93rd minute penalty against Crystal Palace did not conform to the usual expectations that a last-minute winner brings.

There’s an abundance of positives to take from our trip to a stadium so lavish that nobody can afford the naming rights. For 45 minutes Leeds played Tottenham off the park, a team that was assembled at great cost, containing some world-class players and a world-class manager. Leeds also have a world-class manager, and a world-class player in Kalvin Phillips, and Phillips’ stifling of Harry Kane from centre-back was a masterclass by both.