Sheffield United are now officially back in the Premier League,this was after Mateusz Klich put Leeds ahead in the 72nd minute.
This sparked a tirade of anger from the whole of the Aston Villa team and their coaching staff over the home team’s refusal to put the ball out of play with Villa striker Jonathan Kodjia lying injured in the centre of the pitch.
Tyler Roberts had the chance to do it but played it to Klich, whose goal was greeted with him being grabbed around the neck by Conor Hourihane.
Pushing and shoving was widespread with everyone except Kodjia involved while Anwar El Ghazi was eventually sent off for raising a hand to Leeds’ Patrick Bamford, who was also booked along with Hourihane as referee Stuart Attwell struggled to get a grip on what was going on around him.
There was furious discussion on the sidelines with gesturing and finger-pointing in equal measure with Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa and Villa assistant John Terry right at the heart of it.
Aston Villa were aggrieved that Leeds didn't put the ball out of play and the hosts went on to score through Mateusz Klich
But when the game restarted, Villa substitute Albert Adomah was allowed to run through and equalise, even if centre-half Pontus Jansson did not seem to be in favour as he made an effort to stop him.
It was a five-minute spell that no-one expected but lit the fuse on a match that was always competitive and feisty, and could be repeated once or possibly twice in the Championship play-offs.
The draw ended Villa’s club record ten-match winning run and also ensured Leeds cannot overtake Sheffield United, even if the goal difference was such that it was virtually done and dusted before a ball had been kicked.
This fixture, between two traditional powerhouses of English football, would not out be out of place in the division above but there will only be room for one of them next season.
Marcelo Bielsa remonstrates with the fourth official
Leeds have often failed to convert chances to finish off their fine approach work and Bielsa was a picture of frustration on the touchline early on when Jack Harrison scuffed a presentable opportunity to put his team ahead.
Jack Grealish has been at the heart of Villa’s surge into the play-offs but as ever, he was the pantomime villain with opposing players and fans.
On this occasion he had a point as he was on the end of a fierce challenge from Liam Cooper, as although the Leeds captain took the ball, his follow-up was reckless and cleaned out Grealish, and was shown a yellow card.
It was one of any number of decisions by the referee which angered those in white and eventually led to Bielsa being booked for dissent shortly before half-time.
John McGinn had come closest to the scoring in that period when his header was pushed away by Kiko Casilla but Kodjia had a better chance shortly after the break but he shot over.
After the ‘two goals’, Leeds could have won it late on but Jed Steer made fine saves from Roberts and Pablo Hernandez, but that could not detract from the controversy of what had gone on before.
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