By Kieran Gill for MailOnline
Published: 21:57 GMT, 12 March 2019 | Updated: 22:51 GMT, 12 March 2019
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A Pablo Hernandez masterclass helped Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds to a straightforward win over relegation battlers Reading at the Madejski Stadium and back to the top of the Championship.
Two stunning strikes from Hernandez and a third from Mateusz Klich saw the Yorkshire side leapfrog rivals Norwich, who could return the favour when they host Hull on Wednesday night.
It appears a three-horse race for automatic promotion to the Premier League, with Leeds set to lock horns with third-placed Sheffield United this Saturday lunchtime.
pablo Hernandez produced a stunning individual performance to help Leeds beat Reading
Mateusz Klich opened the scoring for Leeds against the Royals at the Madejski Stadium
READING (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Yiadom, Miazga, Moore, Blackett; East (Harriott 63), Baker; Loader (McCleary 81), Swift, Barrow (Olise 69); Meite
SUBS NOT USED: Gunter, O'Shea, McShane, Walker
BOOKED: Swift
LEEDS (4-1-4-1): Casilla; Ayling (Dallas 56), Jansson, Cooper, Alioski; Phillips; Hernandez, Roberts (Shackleton 69), Klich (Douglas 65), Harrison; Bamford
SUBS NOT USED: Peacock-Farrell, Berardi, Brown, Gotts
GOALS: Klich 14, Hernandez 22, 43
BOOKED: Roberts, Ayling, Douglas
REFEREE: Gavin Ward
This was an ideal way for them to prepare for that televised encounter at Elland Road and Bielsa lavished Hernandez with praise afterwards: 'Pablo finds solutions.
'He has the capability to read moments of the game. It's something very hard to teach and something very hard to learn. In this aspect, Pablo is a very wise player.'
Leeds should have scored six or seven at the Madejski but Patrick Bamford did not have his finishing boots on. They have a worse goal difference than their promotion
