Leeds United got the better of Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Wednesday 3-0 on Sunday lunchtime, as Elland Road’s reputation for being a fortress only grows in strength the more the Championship season chugs along.
This big win, which saw all three goalscorers coincidentally be summer recruits, sees the Whites momentarily go back to the top of the table, with another side from Yorkshire in Sheffield United just one point off Daniel Farke’s men as Burnley and Sunderland also lurk behind.
There was plenty for the German to be positive about at full-time, as his side’s quick start out of the blocks ensured the game was relatively comfortable, away from some minor scares here and there.
Leeds' top performers vs Sheffield Wednesday
Manor Solomon was responsible for Leeds’ lightning-quick beginning as the Tottenham Hotspur loanee capitalised on a goalkeeper error from Owls man James Beadle to then fire home into an empty net.
Barely four minutes had ticked down on the clock when the 25-year-old smashed home the opener, with Solomon now up to four league goals for the season having terrorised teams down the left channel.
Largie Ramazani also managed to clinch the game for the Whites at 2-0 after being substituted on in Solomon’s place, with the ex-Almeria man also boasting four league goals himself.
The third and final goalscorer on the day was consistent midfield performer Ao Tanaka, who again looked assured and controlled in the middle of the park, with his instinctive finish making Leeds’ victory more comprehensive after being made to battle hard to pick up the three points.
His stylish finish was enough to wrongfoot Beadle at the death, as the ex-Fortuna Dusseldorf ace also tallied up 75 accurate passes and won four duels to round off another impressive showing in front of the adoring home masses.
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But, there was one figure who stood out even more than Tanaka and the other goalscorers who ensured Wednesday had little to no luck in attacking areas.
Ampadu's performance in numbers
Keeping the Owls at bay for the full 90 minutes means Leeds are now up to 15 clean sheets for the season in the second tier, with Ethan Ampadu largely to thank for that familiar shut-out against Danny Rohl’s men.
Back into the heart of defence alongside Joe Rodon – owing to Pascal Struijk being sidelined with an injury concern – the Welshman was a rock throughout, with the likes of Josh Windass limited to just 21 touches of the ball due to the 24-year-old giving him and other usually lively Wednesday attackers zero breathing space.
Minutes played
90
Touches
118
Accurate passes
92/102 (90%)
Key pass
1
Clearances
8
Interceptions
2
Tackles
2
Total duels won
6/6
Away from battling away all match, Ampadu was also composed and measured with the ball at his feet with 92 accurate passes coming about from his 118 touches of the ball, with the ex-Chelsea man able to relieve pressure by just spraying the ball about with ease.
But, there are many standout numbers involving the more gritty side of his game too, with 100% of his duels successfully won, on top of eight clearances also being registered to snuff out many a dangerous Owls attacking move.
Journalist James Marshment even described the Leeds captain’s display as “immaculate” come full-time as the opposition forwards cursed their luck at playing against such a dominant and assured defender.
Having narrowly missed out on promotion last year, Ampadu will be desperate to play a key role in his team finally returning to the Premier League.
If he can keep up these performance levels all the way up until the finish line of the 46-game marathon, his team should be tasting that sweet success.
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