Match ends, Hull City 0, Leeds United 4.
Leeds United further strengthened their grip on a place in the Championship's top two with a fourth successive victory against out-of-form Hull City.
The Whites remain five points clear of Fulham, who beat Preston North End later on Saturday, and have closed the gap to leaders West Bromwich Albion to just one point after the Baggies lost at home to Wigan Athletic.
Head coach Marcelo Bielsa handed a first league start to 19-year-old Illan Meslier with first-choice goalkeeper Kiko Casilla beginning an eight-match ban for racial abuse, but the on-loan shot stopper was seldom troubled as the dominant visitors kept a fourth straight clean sheet.
Leeds went ahead inside the opening five minutes, as Luke Ayling's 20-yard strike took a huge deflection off Callum Elder and spun into the corner of the net.
Having already rattled a shot against the angle of crossbar and post soon after Ayling's opener, Pablo Hernandez doubled United's advantage at the start of the second half with a cool finish past George Long.
Tyler Roberts completed the scoring with two more goals in the final 10 minutes, first firing in following Mateusz Klich's classy lay-off and then heading home after another Klich assist.
While Leeds seemingly edge towards promotion to the Premier League after recovering from a mid-season wobble, Hull continue to slide towards the bottom three having climbed to eighth with victory at Sheffield Wednesday on 1 January.
Grant McCann's side have failed to win in the Championship since then, losing eight of their past 10 league games to leave them just four points above the relegation zone.
They were arguably unfortunate to find themselves behind after a relatively even first half against Leeds, but were comprehensively outplayed by their visitors during the second period.
Before Roberts' late double the Whites struck the woodwork for a second time when Jack Harrison's brilliant curling effort bounced back off the upright, while Helder Costa twice forced Long into smart saves.
Substitute Norbert Balogh went closest to scoring for Hull, clipping the outside of the post from just inside the box, but the Tigers were well short as they slipped to a third straight defeat.
Hull City head coach Grant McCann said:
"The goal just after half-time knocked the confidence. Second half that early goal has thrown it all up in the air.
"They are a top team and there is no doubt they will probably go on to get promoted this year."
"This result is not going to define our season, we've got some big games coming up."
Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa said:
"In the first half we didn't defend well. We started the game with one line of four defenders and after we changed with a line of three defenders. In the second half the second goal helped us.
"Illan was calm, confident, he took risks, and was good in the area. He gave us the feeling that he was confident."
On the ban for Kiko Casilla: "The authorities expressed themselves, also Kiko, also the club. We must accept the rules of the competition and accept those decisions."
Line-ups
Hull
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Long
- 16McKenzie
- 25Pennington
- 17McLoughlinBooked at 50mins
- 26Elder
- 6Stewart
- 37Da Silva LopesSubstituted forBattyat 63'minutes
- 43Wilks
- 42SamuelsenSubstituted forMaddisonat 76'minutes
- 18Honeyman
- 27MagennisBooked at 52minsSubstituted forBaloghat 63'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Tafazolli
- 8Batty
- 11Maddison
- 13Ingram
- 23Kingsley
- 24Balogh
- 36Irvine
Leeds
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 1Meslier
- 2Ayling
- 5White
- 6Cooper
- 15Dallas
- 23Phillips
- 17Hélder Costa
- 19HernándezSubstituted forShackletonat 88'minutes
- 43Klich
- 22HarrisonSubstituted forAlioskiat 88'minutes
- 9BamfordBooked at 50minsSubstituted forRobertsat 67'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Douglas
- 10Alioski
- 11Roberts
- 25Caprile
- 28Berardi
- 46Shackleton
- 48Stevens
- Referee:
- Keith Stroud
- Attendance:
- 16,178
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home33%
- Away67%
- Shots
- Home8
- Away17
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away8
- Corners
- Home5
- Away11
- Fouls
- Home13
- Away13
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Hull City 0, Leeds United 4.
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Mateusz Klich (Leeds United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Marcus Maddison (Hull City).
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Foul by Stuart Dallas (Leeds United).
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Marcus Maddison (Hull City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Substitution
Substitution, Leeds United. Ezgjan Alioski replaces Jack Harrison.
Substitution
Substitution, Leeds United. Jamie Shackleton replaces Pablo Hernández.
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Corner, Leeds United. Conceded by Callum Elder.
Goal!
Goal! Hull City 0, Leeds United 4. Tyler Roberts (Leeds United) header from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Mateusz Klich with a through ball.
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Foul by Stuart Dallas (Leeds United).
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Robbie McKenzie (Hull City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal!
Goal! Hull City 0, Leeds United 3. Tyler Roberts (Leeds United) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Mateusz Klich.
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Attempt missed. Ben White (Leeds United) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left.
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Attempt blocked. Jack Harrison (Leeds United) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is blocked. Assisted by Pablo Hernández.
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Attempt blocked. Pablo Hernández (Leeds United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Kalvin Phillips with a cross.
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Corner, Leeds United. Conceded by Callum Elder.
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Attempt blocked. Robbie McKenzie (Hull City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Substitution
Substitution, Hull City. Marcus Maddison replaces Martin Samuelsen.
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Foul by Pablo Hernández (Leeds United).