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It has been an exciting and impressive return to the Premier League for Leeds United as they find themselves in 12th place on 23 points at the halfway mark.
The Peacocks have embraced the league as they continued to operate using their expansive and fluid philosophy which Marcelo Bielsa has installed in the players since becoming the manager in 2018. No matter the opponent, Leeds have played their style of play, trusting in the ethos that got them to the Premier League.
Five key games
Liverpool 4-3 Leeds United
Bielsa’s side lost on the opening day to the champions at Anfield but gave an excellent account of themselves on their long-awaited return to the top-flight.
Mohamed Salah gave the Reds the lead before Jack Harrison levelled for the visitors. They went on to respond again when being behind as Patrick Bamford kicked off his goal tally for the campaign.
Jurgen Klopp’s side regained their lead when Salah added another goal to the game, but fearless Leeds did not look fazed and struck back courtesy of Mateusz Klich with 25 minutes remaining on the clock. It took a late penalty from Salah to seal the game for Liverpool as the Egyptian claimed his first hat-trick of the new Premier League season.
Going to Anfield was never going to be easy but Leeds left the stadium proud of the performance they produced.
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Leeds United 4-3 Fulham
Leeds United played out an enthralling 4-3 affair at Elland Road in September when they hosted fellow promotion-winning side Fulham FC, the two sides went toe-to-toe for 90 minutes.
Portuguese hotshot Helder Costa secured a brace in the game as Mateusz Klich netted from the spot after a foul on Bamford. The former Chelsea forward found the net himself in the game not long after the penalty as the Whites sailed to a 4-1 lead.
Fulham started to pile on the pressure when it looked like Bielsa’s side took their foot off the gas, late goals from Alexander Mitrovic and Bobby Reid reminded the home side that the game was still there to be lost. This was the Peacocks’ first win after their return to the Premier League and a debut win at Elland Road.
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Leeds United 1-1 Manchester City
One week before the October international break Leeds United welcomed Manchester City to Elland Road, a game that was long-awaited by many due to the two managers previous relationship.
City took an early lead within 17 minutes courtesy of Raheem Sterling who cut inside from the left-hand side before unleashing a furious shot to the right-hand side of goalkeeper Illan Meslier.
This goal was a clear wake-up call to Leeds United as the Yorkshire side responded to the early pressure by creating several goalscoring opportunities in the latter stages of the first half. It looked like a matter of time until Leeds levelled the scoreline as attempts from Luke Ayling and Rodrigo were saved by City goalkeeper Ederson.
United eventually scored when Ederson missed a punch inside his penalty box as former Valencia striker Rodrigo prodded the ball into the Manchester City net. This result continued their momentum after winning their previous two fixtures. The game proved that Leeds were able to battle with the best sides in the world as they walked away from the match unhappy that they did not win the fixture.
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Leeds United 0-0 Arsenal
After the November international break, Leeds returned to Premier League football with a 0-0 draw against Arsenal in a game that saw Nicolas Pepe sent off for a headbutt on Ezgjan Alioski.
Bielsa’s side hit the woodwork three times throughout the game as Rodrigo, Raphinha and Bamford were unable to find a way past German Bernd Leno.
It was a game that Leeds were left regretting missed chances as they dominated a top six club throughout the whole duration of the game, with a one-man advantage for the majority.
Despite not claiming all three points, it was a lesson for Leeds United who were not clinical enough on the night, the positive being that there were a surplus of high calibre chances created against a top English side.
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Newcastle United 1-2 Leeds United
After losing their last three games in all competitions as well as four of their last five on the road, Newcastle proved to be a tough test for Leeds. They responded with a 2-1 win at St James Park ending Leeds’ losing streak.
Both of Bielsa’s wingers proved pivotal to the result as Brazilian Raphinha opened the scoring in the first half before turning provider to Jack Harrison in the second when the Peacocks reclaimed their lead after Miguel Almiron levelled the scoreline near the hour mark.
Ending a three-game run without a win was essential for Leeds who are known for running out of gas come the second half of the season given the intensity demanded by Marcelo Bielsa. The game was a step in the right direction as they look to create some momentum in the coming weeks to make amount on the challenge for a top-half finish.
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Key players:
Illan Meslier
Illan Meslier has been the reassurance that the Leeds United defence has needed in previous years as the 20-year-old goalkeeper has been a standout performer in the side given his age and lack of experience at the highest level.
The French U21 international joined Leeds United a year ago when the side were in the Championship after previous No.1 Kiko Casilla was dropped from the starting 11.
Meslier has produced an astonishing 71 saves this season, the third-most in the league. Meslier’s distribution has been a key factor for Leeds as they continue to play out from the back, moving the ball quickly from left to right.
As well as this his save percentage is over 70% which is an incredible statistic given the fluidity that Leeds play with which often leaves them exposed when it comes to defending their goal. There is no doubt that Bielsa’s side would be worse off without the young Frenchman, he is becoming a pivotal player for Leeds United this season.
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Stuart Dallas
Stuart Dallas is regarded as ‘Mr Reliable’ as far as Leeds manager Bielsa is concerned as he has established himself as one of the first names of the teamsheet due to his incredible versatility and trust that he has gained throughout his time at the club.
The 29-year old has featured over 20 times for Leeds this season at the halfway point and has played five different positions from full-back to centre midfield as the Northern Ireland international seems to fill any void that is created in the side.
The former Brentford man has been at the club since 2015 and was a figure that took a liking to Bielsa as soon as he was employed as Leeds manager, with an attacking press and intense philosophy suiting Dallas’s game to a tee.
It is no doubt that Leeds would be worse off without Dallas, who provides Leeds with natural balance within the squad given that the fixture list can be demanding for many players.
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Raphinha
Raphinha has been a breath of fresh air for Leeds United this season after being directly involved in six goals at the halfway point of the season after only 14 starts for the Yorkshire club. It has taken the Brazilian some time to adjust to life in the Premier League but has flourished in the last two months as Leeds start to struggle to break teams down.
The 24-year-old was a standout performer against Newcastle United when scoring a stunning finish with his left foot before setting up Jack Harrison to claim all three points. He also showed glimpses of excellence against Manchester United despite losing the game.
The former Rennes player has been involved in everything good about Leeds this year, the fact that the right-sided winger likes to cut in onto his dangerous left foot has created another issue for the opposition with Luke Ayling’s overlaps creating another option which has been key to adding unpredictability to Leeds game.
In the second half of the season, Raphinha will be looking to add more goals and assists to his name, kicking on from a strong start to his Leeds United career.
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What’s next?
Leeds’ goal at the start of the season was to comfortably stay in the Premier League. It is safe to say that this has been achieved already, the next step for the former Premier League winners will be to be able to break into the top 10 come to the end of the season.
Avoiding slip-ups against sides that they should beat will be key when it comes to breaking into the top half of the season. Games against Brighton and Crystal Palace are games that stand out in the first half of the season that Bielsa would have been expecting to win. If they were to win these two fixtures Leeds would find themselves in eighth above of Arsenal.
Leeds face a tough next three games which will either make or break their season as they visit Leicester this Sunday before hosting Everton and Crystal Palace at the beginning of February. Positive results will be vital in making inroads on rivals around them in the table.
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