Leeds’ Achilles heel from set-pieces came back to haunt them again as West Ham came from behind to win 2-1 at Elland Road.

The Whites have frequently been chaotic at the back on their Premier League return – particularly from free-kicks and corners – and Tomas Soucek and Angelo Ogbonna were beneficiaries on Friday after Mateusz Klich had given Leeds an early advantage from a retaken penalty five minutes in.

Liam Cooper split West Ham’s defence to send eight-goal striker Patrick Bamford clear and he was brought down by Lukasz Fabianski.

The Polish goalkeeper saved compatriot Klich’s tame initial effort but replays showed he moved off his line and Klich made no mistake second time around.

West Ham levelled 25 minutes in, typically from a set-piece which has increasingly become Leeds’ weakness. Jarrod Bowen’s inswinging corner was met by Soucek, whose drilled header was too strong for Meslier who should have done better.

Bamford had a header he could perhaps have done better with as half-time approached, while VAR checked for a handball against Ogbonna, but the sides went in level at the break.

Clearly irked by what he had seen, Bielsa made two Leeds changes at the break, Jack Harrison and Gjanni Alioski making way for Helder Costa and Jamie Shackleton.

Bamford then shot wide on the turn, before Luke Ayling’s fine close-range block ensured Haller’s shot went over, with the same player then drawing a tip-over from Meslier.

As both sides searched for a second, Said Benrahma – making his first Hammers start – put a free-kick wide from a tight angle, before causing Meslier to panic with a first-time curler from the edge of the box that was inches away.

Kalvin Phillips tried to make something happen for Leeds and drove wide, while Fabianski pouched a stinging 25-yard Klich half-volley.

Pablo Fornals then missed Meslier’s far post by centimetres as he crept in round the back of Cooper’s failed attempt to clear, before the keeper made a quite stunning one-handed stop to repel Fabian Balbuena’s rocket header.

He had little chance in the 80th minute, though, unable to get anywhere near Ogbonna’s header which came from an inch-perfect Aaron Cresswell cross after a sloppy Costa foul.

There was still time for Meslier to deny Sebastian Haller with a one-handed stop and for Balbuena to clip the post, though Leeds should have levelled when Rodrigo headed meekly at Fabianski.