Serious doubts over Leeds United's ability to last the pace in the Premiership race are beginning to surface.

Defeat at Highbury last week was followed by a shock 2-1 home loss against mid-table Aston Villa at Elland Road yesterday.

United's proud record of 12 successive home victories was smashed by a most unlikely goal-scoring source - Gareth Southgate.

The England defender only managed one goal all of last season, but cashed in a poor Leeds defending to stun the off-key leaders.

However, United still remain top of the Premiership after a bizarre set of results saw none of the top six manage to gain a win.

Arsenal could only draw at bottom club Sheffield Wednesday, Sunderland went down 1-0 at Wimbledon and Liverpool were beaten by the same score at Tottenham.

That all adds up to good news for Manchester United, away on World Club Championship duty in Brazil, strengthened their hand in the Premiership stakes without kicking a ball.

Leeds never looked capable of increasing the daylight between themselves and Sir Alex Ferguson's team to four points as injuries, suspensions and a loss of form finally came to a head.

The men from Old Trafford remain one point off the lead with two matches in hand and the odds of them retaining the title are receding.

Leeds failed a big test at Arsenal last Tuesday when they were easily brushed aside by one of the big rivals and yesterday put in another non-performance.

A home defeat has been in the pipeline for several weeks as United have made heavy weather in putting some lowly opposition to the sword.

But against Villa the lack of strength in their squad finally came to the surface - particularly in midfield.

Without the injured David Batty, Stephen McPhail and David Hopkin and the suspended Lee Bowyer, David O'Leary sent out a strange-looking midfield quartet, giving Alfie Haaland and Matthew Jones their first starts of the season alongside Harry Kewell and Eirik Bakke.

Crucially they were also without suspended skipper Lucas Radebe which saw Michael Duberry make his Elland Road debut in a Leeds shirt.

Sadly for Leeds, Duberry was given a torrid time by the waspish skills of Benito Carbone - the best player on the pitch.

Long before the end poor Duberry's confidence had been shot to pieces and many of his team-mates followed suit.

Leeds began brightly enough with Alan Smith driving a snapshot over David James' bar but with George Boateng picking up all the spare possession in midfield with Paul Merson, Villa began to dominate.

Carbone and Merson had already tested Nigel Martyn before Merson curled in a corner from the right. No Leeds defenders responded, Julian Joachim's header was blacked and Southgate reacted first to scuff the ball in.

Villa, themselves without Dion Dublin and Ian Taylor, should have been further ahead by the interval, but Southgate, this time unattended when a corner came in from the left, sent another header flashing over the top.

Duberry was again all at sea as Carbone ran on to Steve Watson's header but drove his shot wide. Then the little Italian popped up on the left of the pitch to sent a dipping shot just wide.

Straight from the kick-off Leeds got back into the game with an amazing strike from Harry Kewell.

Villa lost possession, Leeds fed Kewell whose good control ended with a blistering 35-yard angled drive into the bottom of James' left-hand corner.

Suddenly a subdued Elland Road came to the boil and the adrenaline seemed to start pumping through their young players' veins.

Kewell emerged in the middle to slip the ball through to Smith, but James did well to beat away his shot.

Villa rode the mini-storm and re-established their superiority with Merson stabbing the ball just wide and Joachim looping a shot over the bar after more unconvincing Leeds defending.

Just after the hour Villa got the winner they deserved, although the free-kick against Gary Kelly on Carbone which led to it was harsh. Merson drifted the ball in from the left, again no Leeds defender took responsibility and headed in.

Only a brilliant double save by Martyn to keep out a Merson header and a close range Boateng shot spared Leeds further embarrassment.

But lightweight Leeds were unable to get anywhere remotely near the Villa goal in the latter stages as Villa deservedly took victory.

It was a day on which United's title credentials looked desperately thin and with Radede away for a possible six weeks in the near future because of the African Nations Championship an awful lot of defensive work needs to be put it to ensure the Leeds wobble doesn't become a slide.

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