Leeds 1 Aston Villa 1: Steve Bruce gets his subs spot on as Henri Lansbury scores first goal for Villa in Elland Road draw
HENRI LANSBURY climbed off the bench to rescue a point for Aston Villa as Steve Bruce got his subs spot on tonight.
The former Arsenal and Nottingham Forest man was assisted by fellow replacement Jack Grealish as the spoils were shared at Elland Road.
Leeds took a deserved lead 19 minutes in through their towering centre-half Pontus Jansson.
Spanish winger Pablo Hernandez flighted in a beautiful corner and the Swedish defender powered in a header that left Villa keeper Sam Johnstone with no chance.
But the Yorkshire side were dealt a hammer blow three minutes before half-time when Hernandez was forced off injured, replaced by Kemar Roofe.
Villa came out for the second half showing much more urgency, with former Leeds man Robert Snodgrass seeing much more of the ball.
Steve Bruce made a double substitution on 65 minutes, taking off Josh Onomah and Conor Hourihane and bringing on Jack Grealish and Henri Lansbury.
And it proved a masterstroke, with Lansbury grabbing the equaliser from Grealish's assist.
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The former Arsenal and Nottingham Forest man strode forward and pinged an effort in from 20 yards that came back off the post and in for his first Villa goal.
United had earned a much-needed victory over Middlesbrough last time out on home soil and they made a confident start, Spanish playmaker Samuel Saiz seeing an effort blocked on the edge of the area.
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In-form winger Albert Adomah had a left-footed shot comfortably saved by Felix Wiedwald early on but that was as close as Villa went during a first half controlled by the home side.
Leeds were the only Championship team yet to claim a single point from a losing position and the relief was palpable when Jansson nodded in Hernandez's inswinging corner at the near post on 19 minutes.
Caleb Ekuban's driving run won United the corner and the striker was poised to pull the trigger soon after, only for Villa to scramble Saiz's cut-back clear.
Glenn Whelan shot wide as Villa briefly threatened but Leeds ended the half on top with Liam Cooper heading over Ezgjan Alioski's free-kick in stoppage time.
United suffered a blow just before the break when Hernandez hobbled off and they were almost pegged back after the restart, Wiedwald saving Adomah's strike with his legs after he had found space in the box.
Saiz's ball across goal evaded three Leeds attackers at the other end and the hosts thought they had got the second goal they craved when Cooper headed home, only to be denied by the linesman's flag.
Lansbury and Grealish were introduced by Villa boss Steve Bruce and the changes had the desired effect.
Neil Taylor and Jansson came together in a crunching tackle and the ball rolled into the path of Lansbury, who drove forward to fire a 20-yard shot in off the far post.
Jansson stayed down following the challenge but was fit to continue and help Leeds stem the tide.
The Swedish centre-back took a booking to halt a Villa attack during an ominous period for a United side that recently lost 2-1 from a winning position at home to Derby.
But Leeds saw out the remaining minutes without further alarm as they recorded their first draw since mid-August to move up to seventh in the table.