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Leeds United returned to the top of the Championship with a 2-0 win over Hull City at Elland Road.
A Jordy De Wijs own-goal and a second in two matches for North Macedonia international Ezgjan Alioski were enough to seal the win as both sides struggled with poor weather conditions. Leeds United keeping yet another impressive clean sheet.
HUGE STAT: Leeds have now conceded just 0.48 goals per game this season (10 goals in 21 matches), NO side in Europe's top 5 leagues OR the top four tiers of English league football has a better defensive record in 2019/20.
— LUFCDATA (@LUFCDATA) December 10, 2019
BIELSAWALL. ⛔ #LUFC #MOT pic.twitter.com/AyuaCiLD13
Time now to look at each player and how they performed. As always you can tell me how wrong I am @mightywhitespod or @ThruItAllLUFC on twitter.
STARTING LINE-UP
Kiko Casilla - Made a couple of good saves, his best one coming immediately before Alioski’s goal, potentially 1-1 to 2-0 in a matter of seconds. Distributed the ball quickly when he got it. Did well to keep his concentration with nothing to do for long periods of the match. Good performance. 8/10
⛔️⛔️⛔️⛔️⛔️⛔️⛔️⛔️⛔️⛔️⛔️⛔️
— LUFCDATA (@LUFCDATA) December 11, 2019
Leeds have now kept two more clean sheets (12) than conceded goals (10) in the Championship this season.
Leeds have kept more clean sheets than any other side in the top 4 tiers of English league football AND Europe’s top 5 leagues in 2019/20. #LUFC pic.twitter.com/8fskSsE1tr
Luke Ayling - Stuck with Kamil Grosicki diligently in his man marking role and won the ball back well. Barely put a foot wrong other than a few crosses which left a bit to be desired. 8/10
Ben White - Assured on the ball and never looked overly troubled. Made a good tackle on Tom Eaves in the box to deny him a decent chance. 7/10
Gaetano Berardi - Did everything he could up against Eaves in the air. Combative at all times and comfortable on the ball. One of the better performances at centre-back we have seen from the one-time Switzerland international. 8/10
Berardi my MOTM tonight. Thought he was outstanding. Swept everything up and helped deal with those little dangerous moments against what is a very decent Hull attack. They keep on grinding them out. #lufc
— Joe Urquhart (@JoeUrquhartYEP) December 11, 2019
Stuart Dallas - It was his job to deal with the main threat in Jarrod Bowen and he was able to almost completely nullify him. Made lots of successful tackles. Has had better days with his passing but that is a nit-pick. 7.5/10
For the second consecutive match day running, Stuart Dallas has won more tackles (6) than any other player involved.
— LUFCDATA (@LUFCDATA) December 10, 2019
The Cookstown Cafu. #LUFC #MOT pic.twitter.com/4ejd8TZOCR
Kalvin Phillips - All action as usual and the team had a while looked far more comfortable for having him back in “his role”. A few too many sloppy moments in dangerous areas but luckily they came to nothing for Hull. Great pass out of his own box to set the counter attack going for Leeds’ second goal. 6.5/10
Helder Costa - Leeds main threat all night as he got into good positions down the right hand side repeatedly, and his dribbling was very successful. Final ball left a lot to be desired as he wasted a lot of the opportunities. It was his cross which was turned in by De Wijs for the opening goal. 7/10
Bielsa definitely feels Costa is improving in terms of unbalancing the opposition. (He was @NoelDavidWhelan MOTM tonight) #lufc
— Adam Pope (@apopey) December 10, 2019
Mateusz Klich - Fairly quiet game for the Poland man. Got into some good positions but wasn’t found by the passer. Didn’t do a lot wrong either though. Great ball across the box to find Bamford when he hit the post just before Alioski’s goal. 6.5/10
Pablo Hernandez - Good pass to put Costa in for the opening goal. Lots of good dribbles and a fair few creative passes. Too many balls given away sloppily but for the most part they weren’t in dangerous areas. Didn’t shirk when he needed to battle either. 7/10
Jack Harrison - As usual he showed good work rate and positional play but he wasn’t quite at the level we have seen in the last month or so. Had a good effort blocked from a Bamford pull-back and put in some decent crosses. Solid game. 6.5/10
Patrick Bamford - Say this a lot: “lead the line well”. Won the battle against Reece Burke and Jordy De Wijs. Should have scored when he hit the post but was rescued by Alioski tucking home the rebound, had cleared the ball of the line only a few seconds before the shot so he did show excellent work rate to get there. 7/10
Bamford clears this off the line AND gets the shot in at the other end. ♂️ https://t.co/vifMXJ1C8W
— The Square Ball (@TheSquareBall) December 10, 2019
SUBSTITUTES
Ezgjan Alioski (for Harrison, 69mins) - Another goal for Alioski with a finish he made look easier than it was. Excellent energy down the left side and was Leeds best and most consistent crosser of the ball once he came on. 7.5/10
WHAT A COUNTER #LUFC pic.twitter.com/Nzu2BVH9uj
— AztecLUFC (@AztecLUFC) December 10, 2019
Pascal Struijk ( for Costa, 90mins) - Not on long enough to score but nice to see another young player getting a first team debut, especially having looked so good in the u23s the second half of last season. N/A
Congrats to Pascal Struijk who made his #LUFC debut in tonight's win at Elland Road! pic.twitter.com/GKoaxyscis
— Leeds United (@LUFC) December 11, 2019
Barry Douglas (for Klich, 95mins) - Poor Robbie Gotts, just give him a first team minute Marcelo Bielsa. N/A