Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa has admitted that he must build his tactics around neutralising the threat of Aleksandar Mitrovic when Fulham travel to Elland Road on Saturday.
Mitrovic has been in fine form for the Cottagers since their return to the Championship, striking 16 goals in 21 games, including vital efforts against Cardiff City, Charlton Athletic, Luton Town, Birmingham and Swansea.
The 25-year-old has only failed to find the back of the net nine times in the second-tier this term, too, and will arrive in West Yorkshire this weekend having scored five goals in his last six games.
Hit talents will not be a surprise to Bielsa when Fulham take to the field on Saturday, though, as the boss has lauded the 55-cap Serbia international for his aggressive style of play that blends the natural tasks of a centre-forward and the mobility needed to get the better of opposition defenders.
“He’s a great forward, [Patrick] Bamford also, they are goal scorers. They are very aggressive players. You have to take care of them,” Bielsa told reporters during his pre-game press conference on Thursday, via quotes by Leeds Live.
“You have a difference between the players who are big and don’t move a lot. The more agile players, more technical, but they move more. Mitrovic, [Eddie] Nketiah, Bamford are a mix of both characteristics.
“When I saw the last match of Eddie. It’s the jump of one player at 1.80m. Centre-backs are very used to knowing how to face the different centre-forwards. It’s difficult to find something they didn’t face in the past.
“It’s not about how much you know about the opponent, it’s important to have the ability to face him and beat him.”
Can the Whites keep Mitrovic quiet on Saturday?
Of course
It'll be tough
Mitrovic’s haul of 16 goals in 21 league games is more than any other player has achieved in the Championship so far this season, and accounts for 48% of Fulham’s total strikes for the campaign.
Neutralising his output would do wonders for our chances of recording a bounce-back result after crumbling at home to Cardiff last weekend, and allowing West Bromwich Albion to regain the top spot in the division.
It is not just goals that Mitrovic offers the Cottagers, though, as the £22.5million-rated star will present our backline with a physical opponent they must match up against, as the Serbian striker has won the fifth-most aerial duels of all second-tier strikers with 184.
Mitrovic is also the tenth-most fouled player in the division outright, and completes 1.0 of his 1.9 dribbles per 90 minutes, along with playing 1.0 key balls, taking 3.9 shots, 0.7 attempted tackles and commits 2.0 fouls, per WhoScored data.
In other Leeds United news, the club’s pursuit of a free-scoring attacker has hit the rocks.