You could make the argument that it was one of Leeds United’s best performances this season, even though it ended in defeat.
The fact that they managed to go away from home, and go toe-to-toe with a big Premier League side, beating them in terms of possession, total shots and shots on target, and only be beaten by what can only be described as a ‘scrappy’ goal, really showed that this team is more or less ready for the big time. They just need to get there first.
And that’s pretty much the attitude that defender Barry Douglas had after the game. Speaking to the club website, he explained how the team could and should have won the game, but that they did enough to show that they can handle taking on teams at the highest level:
“I thought we gave a great account of ourselves and we matched them, on our day we would have converted some of our chances. We’re a team that when we’re on it and at the races, pressing like that we can cause problems for any team. It was a great spectacle to be a part of, we’re a bit gutted not to take anything from the game, but its nights like this that you want to be involved in.”
That really was my main takeaway from the game on Monday, is that whilst this team clearly has some flaws, they really showed that they could be a real force to be reckoned with in the Premier League if and when they get there.
That’s why it is so important that the club get this January transfer window right. We saw last year how a bad window can set the club up for a bad turn for the rest of the campaign, so they cannot afford to make the same mistakes again.
Was that Leeds' best performance of the season?
Yes
No
If Leeds do go up, they should that they can easily hang with the big team, so there shouldn’t be any concern about relegation straight away, but they have to get there first.