PATRICK Bamford ended his mini-goal drought as Leeds United secured a statement win at Leicester City yesterday.

He had a hand in all the Whites goals as Marcelo Bielsa’s side fought back to secure a 3-1 victory – their first against a top six Premiership side this season.

Leicester went into the match on an unbeaten seven-match run and looking to leapfrog Manchester United into second spot behind Manchester City ahead of Liverpool’s visit to West Ham.

Only 13 minutes were on the clock when the Foxes got their noses in front. Harvey Barnes was allowed to run unchallenged through a vacant midfield and exchanged passes with James Maddison before sliding the ball past Illan Meslier.

Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers said after his side beat Leeds 4-1 at Elland Road in November that he was glad to not get dragged into the sort of "basketball match" which United relish. However, that is exactly what happened in an enthralling King Power Stadium encounter Just 127 seconds after Barnes’ strike Leeds levelled, Bamford’s well-timed pass setting up Stuart Dallas whose first time shot found the bottom corner.

Both sides then had goals disallowed for offside as the game zipped from end to end just as Rodgers had feared City had won all 12 of their previous league matches this season when leading at any stage but Leeds could have been ahead at the break had Peter Schmeichel not denied his former club with two fine saves from Bamford and Raphiniha.

Bamford and Leeds had proved such a handful for City that Rodgers was forced into a tactical switch, withdrawing winger Marc Albrighton and introducing Caglar Soyuncu as an extra centre-back.

The Foxes certainly had more possession at the start of the second half to keep Meslier and his defence on their toes but Leeds weathered the storm of pressure to get in from with 20 minutes to go courtesy of another finely crafted goal.

Bamford, who by his own admission had been a “bit off it” in his last two appearances, collected Raphinha’s fine pass to thump a glorious left-foot strike into the top corner for his first goal in open play for six games.

With Leicester pushing for an equaliser, Leeds wrapped up the points six minutes from time as Bamford ran from inside his own half, drew Schmeichel and squared for Harrison to tickle the ball into an empty net. The goal summed up United’s mantra “Side Before Self”.

It was certainly acknowledged by his coach. Bielsa said: “"For a goalscorer not to score is always a problem. What I value most is for 3-1 he passed to Jack Harrison when a goalscorer would normally go for goal. He was very generous and thought more of the team."

He added: “We knew how to survive in the difficult moments and we tried to avoid them accumulating passes because it can be very difficult to take it off them. We managed the offensive actions we wanted to create."

Bamford has been directly involved in 15 goals in his 20 Premier League appearances and may have given watching England boss Gareth Southgate food for thought.

The Whites managed the final moments well and finished the game with 11 players who helped see them to last season’s Championship title – Rodrigo and Raphinha having gone off because of injury.

Rodrigo certainly looks a doubt against Everton at Elland Road on Wednesday (7.30pm) when a point will take 12th-placed United on to 30 points. They then hosting Crystal Palace in a game which has been put back to Monday, 8 February (8pm).

Leicester City: Schmichel, Castagne (Ricardo 36), Fofana (Under 80), Evans, Justin, Mendy, Tielemans, Albrighton (Soyuncu HT), Maddison, Barnes, Perez. Subs (not used): Ward, Amartey, Soyuncu, Fuchs, Ricardo, Thomas, Choundry, Under, Iheanacho Leeds United: Meslier, Ayling, Struijk, Cooper, Alioski, Phillips, Dallas, Rodrigo (Klich 20) Raphinha (Costa 80), Harrison, Bamford. Subs (not used): Casilla, Cresswell, Davis, Shackleton, Roberts, Hernandez, Poveda. Caution: Ayling, Dallas, Klich Ref: Chris Kavanagh Att: Behind closed doors