Calvert-Lewin's brace fuels Leeds's 4-1 win over Crystal Palace, fanning England talk

Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored his first Premier League brace in five years as Leeds United beat Crystal Palace 4-1 at Elland Road on Saturday, a result that lifts Leeds into 16th place and sharpens talk of a late England call in a World Cup year. The 28-year-old has six goals in his last five Premier League appearances, a run that has revived questions about his potential role for England as the national team weighs options beyond captain Harry Kane.

Calvert-Lewin's afternoon began with a watershed moment for Leeds as he opened the scoring in the 38th minute. Captain Ethan Ampadu's long throw flicked off Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards and fell for Calvert-Lewin, who kept his composure to convert the rebound after Palace keeper Dean Henderson initially stopped his first attempt. The striker then doubled Leeds' advantage on the stroke of half-time, heading home from close range after a Bijol flick-on, sending the Elland Road stands into delirium.

Calvert-Lewin's blistering form has raised eyebrows in football circles, especially given his recent years spent dealing with fitness issues at Everton before joining Leeds on a three-year deal this summer. The former Sheffield United forward has surpassed expectations since arriving in the Yorkshire capital and has provided Leeds with a reliable goal threat as they navigate a relegation fight. While Tâmas Tuchel’s England squad and the national team’s World Cup plans are not guaranteed, Calvert-Lewin's run has intensified speculation that he could emerge as a back-up option should the need arise.

The match swung decisively in Leeds' favor after the break when Anton Stach drilled in a superb free-kick from 20 yards to make it 3-0 on the hour. Leeds continued to control play as Palace, who had made 11 changes from their midweek Europa Conference League setback, labored to impose themselves on the hosts. Palace did manage a late consolation, with Justin Devenny converting a penalty, but Leeds’ response remained decisive as Stach’s set-piece strike capped a night that underscored the home side's momentum.

Leeds extended their unbeaten run to four games with the emphatic win, a result that lifts them clear of the bottom three and reaffirms the club’s belief that promotion playoff-style form can be a foundation in a relegation battle. Daniel Farke, who has molded a compact, hard-working Leeds side, saw his plan come together as the team dominated possession and created sustained pressure throughout. Palace, by contrast, faced a heavy schedule and made wholesale changes to balance competing fixtures, but the tactical shift did not pay off against a Leeds side playing with confidence and purpose.

Calvert-Lewin's performance represents a personal revival that extends beyond the scoreline. His two goals came in a sequence that emphasized his predatory instincts, a trait that Leeds had hoped to recapture when they brought him in from Everton. The striker’s first-half goals, particularly the close-range header just before the interval, underscored his sharp eye for opportunities inside the box, while his willingness to withstand contact and continue after a head collision with Palace captain Marc Guehi highlighted his resilience. The eventful afternoon at Elland Road thus reinforced the sense that Calvert-Lewin is rediscovering the attributes that made him a national-team fixture earlier in his career.

For Leeds fans, the result provided a rare moment of jubilation amid a challenging campaign. The club’s investment in Calvert-Lewin appears to be paying dividends as he enters the back end of the season in top form, potentially altering the dynamic of their forward line as they pursue a stay in the top flight. The overlap between club form and national-team considerations is a delicate one, and while Kane remains England’s first-choice striker, Calvert-Lewin’s flourishing run offers a compelling case for inclusion if the selected number nines become unavailable or if tactical plans shift ahead of future fixtures.

In Palace, Oliver Glasner will have more questions than answers after a game that exposed a lack of continuity in personnel on a day when several starters were rested. The manager’s decision to rotate ahead of a busy schedule produced a mismatch against a Leeds side who capitalized on their opponents' changes to seize control early and maintain momentum throughout the 90 minutes. The night at Elland Road illustrated how a well-drilled home team can convert opportunism into a convincing scoreline, a template that Leeds will hope to reproduce as they chase vital points in their bid to climb clear of the relegation zone.