LIKE cigarette packets, Leeds United should perhaps carry a government health warning. Certainly those addicted to watching the West Yorkshire club have sufficient reasons to refrain from their obsession, but last night came further proof of why the habit is so difficult to kick.

A pulsating relegation encounter with Leicester City at Elland Road twisted and turned before the home team emerged with three precious points and a victory that keeps their sights trained firmly on a position of safety in the Barclaycard Premiership.

Alan Smith, the local hero who will be first out of the door should they fail in their mission, scored the winner four minutes from time, just as Leicester thought it was safe to relax and dream of a point secured against the run of play. Smith may depart anyway, his transfer fee of about £5 million only a drop in the ocean of debt that has mounted up at Leeds. While the striker remains, though, hopes of a great escape to rival that of last season remain buoyant.

The only blot on the landscape was the dismissal of Mark Viduka in injury time. The Australia forward was the talisman for survival last year, scoring 11 goals in eight games that yielded 13 points. His athletic overhead kick that gave Leeds a 2-0 lead in the thirteenth minute was his fifth in six matches, so his second yellow card of the night — received for foolishly kicking the ball away — was a senseless act that may yet disrupt the Leeds cause. He will miss another relegation scrap, this time at home to Portsmouth, on April 25. If Smith is cautioned against Blackburn Rovers this weekend, he, too, will be absent on the same date. “He (Viduka) was silly and he knows that,” Eddie Gray, the Leeds caretaker manager, said. “It is disappointing, but these things happen.”

Last night’s win epitomised not only Leeds’s turbulent campaign, but also that of their opponents. So often Micky Adams, the Leicester manager, has bemoaned his team snatching defeat from the jaws of victory or at least a draw. This latest capitulation does not augur well for the morale of the camp, although he is far from despondent.

“The first half wasn’t good enough. Leeds wanted it more than us,” Adams said. “Good luck to Leeds. This result has put them right back in the frame, but there is no one in our dressing-room talking about relegation after that performance.”

The travelling Leicester fans would have been appalled at the defensive ineptitude of their team in giving away two goals in two minutes early on.In the eleventh minute, Seth Johnson returned a high cross into the penalty area, where Michael Duberry easily eluded what passed for markers to power in a header that bounced up and beyond Ian Walker, the Leicester goalkeeper. It was the defender’s third goal this season and easily the most significant as he celebrated his return after an absence of nine weeks with fractured ribs.

Worse was to follow for Leicester as Walker was beaten again in Leeds’s next attack. This time, the cross wafted in from the left wing and again Leicester paid dearly for failing to deal with it as Viduka’s spectacular finish found the bottom corner. Perhaps the minute’s silence before the match, to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the death of two of Leeds supporters in Istanbul, the night before a Uefa Cup semi-final tie against Galatasaray, had motivated the team to a higher level.

Yet just when the home side harboured hopes of a comfortable win, Leicester replied with two goals in as many minutes. A double substitution — Lilian Nalis on for Steffen Freund and Peter Canero replacing Les Ferdinand — inspired the remarkable transformation, as first Paul Dickov took a pass from Canero, steadied himself and smashed in his eleventh goal of the season in the 77th minute.

Whatever Leeds had achieved in the first half, so Leicester could now and, sure enough, the equaliser came less than two minutes later. Leeds back-pedalled as Muzzy Izzet moved forward and, from 25 yards out, the midfield player delivered a rising shot that fizzed beyond Paul Robinson, the Leeds goalkeeper.

“At 2-2 I thought we were going to go on and win it,” Adams said. It was not to be, although Canero came mighty close, denied by Robinson’s diving save. Moments later, James Milner got away down the left and crossed to Viduka, who chested the ball down for Smith to score with a low, rasping drive in the 86th minute.

LEEDS UNITED (4-4-2): P Robinson — G Kelly, M Duberry, S Caldwell, D Domi — J Pennant, D Matteo, Seth Johnson, J Milner (sub: I Harte, 88min) — M Viduka, A Smith. Substitutes not used: S Carson, L Radebe, A Lennon, Simon Johnson. Booked: Milner, Viduka. Sent off: Viduka.

LEICESTER CITY (4-4-2): I Walker — R Scimeca, N Dabizas, M Heath, B Thatcher — J Scowcroft, S Freund (sub: L Nalis, 75), M Izzet, S Guppy (sub: P Dickov, 37) — L Ferdinand (sub: P Canero, 75), M Bent. Substitutes not used: D Coyne, W McKinlay. Booked: Heath, Dickov, Thatcher.

Referee: M Dean.

RELEGATION RUN-IN

Home matches in capitals

EVERTON: April: TOTTENHAM (Fri 9), Leeds (Tue 13), Chelsea (Sat 17), BLACKBURN (Sat 24). May: Wolves (Sat 1), BOLTON (Sat 8), Man City (Sat 15)

MANCHESTER CITY: April: WOLVES (Sat 10), Tottenham (Mon 12), SOUTHAMPTON (Sat 17), Leicester (Sat 24). May: NEWCASTLE (Sat 1), Middlesbrough (Sat 8), EVERTON (Sat 15)

BLACKBURN ROVERS: April: LEEDS (Sat 10), Fulham (Mon 12), LEICESTER (Sat 17), Everton (Sat 24). May: MAN UTD (Sat 1), Tottenham (Sat 8), BIRMINGHAM (Sat 15)

PORTSMOUTH: April: Charlton (Sat 10), BIRMINGHAM (Mon 12), MAN UTD (Sat 17), Leeds (Sun 25). May: FULHAM (Sat 1), Leicester (Sat 8), MIDDLESBROUGH (Sat 15). ARSENAL (tba)

LEICESTER CITY: April: FULHAM (Sat 10), Man Utd (Tues 13), Blackburn (Sat 17), MAN CITY (Sat 24). May: Charlton (Sat 1), PORTSMOUTH (Sat 8), Arsenal (Sat 15)

LEEDS UNITED: April: Blackburn (Sat 10), EVERTON (Tues 13), Arsenal (Fri 16), PORTSMOUTH (Sun 25). May: Bolton (Sat 1), CHARLTON (Sat 8), Chelsea (Sat 15)

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS: April: Man City (Sat 10), BOLTON (Mon 12), MIDDLESBROUGH (Sat 17), Birmingham (Sun 25). May: EVERTON (Sat 1), Newcastle (Sat 8), TOTTENHAM (Sat 15)