By Mark Smith

30th Dec, 2019 | 7:30am

Pontus Jansson sends Leeds star Instagram message after 5-4 win v Birmingham

Leeds United defender Luke Ayling was at the heart of everything that happened in the 5-4 victory against Birmingham.

The right-back scored once and set up the final two goals as the Whites somehow managed to win despite throwing away their lead at three separate occasions at St Andrew’s.

Ayling has gone through a dip in form recently, but Saturday’s performance will give him bucket loads of confidence that will hopefully give him another kickstart into the second half of the season in the Championship.

Brentford defender and former Whites hero Pontus Jansson delivered a message to Ayling after his eventful afternoon in West Midlands which sent Leeds back to the top of the Championship.

Writing on Ayling’s personal Instagram account, Jansson made a joke about the defender’s celebrations after the three goals he was included in.

“Haha top speed reached after that goal?” he wrote on the post.

Many Leeds fans reacted to his message claiming that the Swedish international was still a big fan of the Whites and that he missed his time at Elland Road whilst keeping in touch with his former teammates.

Brentford lost ground on the Whites on Sunday, with their 1-0 defeat at Millwall meaning that they currently sit 11 points and three spots below Marcelo Bielsa’s men.

Leeds could have done with the physicality of Jansson at St Andrew’s to see out the result, but none of that matters now that the dust has settled and they earned the three points.

In other Leeds United news, ‘What a game’ – Holloway blown away by ‘Absolutely outstanding’ Leeds ace v Blues