Leeds Player Ratings: Leeds 5 - 0 Stoke

Leeds United were good in the first half. They were phenomenal in the second half. The result was a 5-0 win against Stoke City.

Leeds were unlucky to only be 1-0 up at half-time through a penalty from Poland international Mateusz Klich. The second half more than made up for it, Helder Costa, Liam Cooper, Pablo Hernandez, and Patrick Bamford scored in the second half to put Stoke to the sword.

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

Illan Meslier - Came off his line well early to get rid of the danger from a Nick Powell through ball. DIdn’t have much to do but did it all well. 7/10

Luke Ayling - Really good down the right, excellent pass to Costa in the build up to the fourth goal. Supported the play well on that side throughout and was always an option to pass to when Leeds tried to break forward. Topped off his performance with a fantastic assist for Bamford in the final minute. 8.5/10

Ben White - Poor early error when he lost the ball on the edge of the Leeds area, then had to commit a foul for which he was booked. After that, good throughout and more than made up for the error. 7/10

Liam Cooper - Solid first hour before showing really good instincts to drop deep in the box to receive the ball from Pablo Hernandez and finish well in off the near post. 8/10

Stuart Dallas - Solid first half, started the second half with a great assist for Helder Costa to put Leeds 2-0 up. 7/10

Kalvin Phillips - Solid throughout, excellent pass to play in Hernandez in the build up to the 3rd goal. Can’t remember any mistakes which is important in that position. 7.5/10

Helder Costa - Did really well to win a penalty by getting Tommy Smith to dive in (it was bad defending) for the opening goal. Finished well with for Leeds second goal after making a good run in behind. Good pull back to set up Hernandez for the fourth goal. 8.5/10

Mateusz Klich - Really calmly taken penalty to put Leeds 1-0 up. Lots of good passing and movement in the midfield. Haven’t said much but he was good throughout. 8/10

Tyler Roberts - Forced Jack Butland into a good save in the first minute. Set up a chance for Klich with an excellent pass inside. Had a shot blocked on the line with the keeper nowhere, it was a chance he had to score. Off for Pablo Hernandez at halftime. 6.5/10

Jack Harrison - One of the quieter attackers but absolutely fine. Had a decent effort saved by Butland after a long run when Leeds countered from a Stoke corner. 7/10

Patrick Bamford - Had one cleared off the line by James McClean after a great one-two. First half did really well to keep finding space despite the abundance of defenders around him. Hit the bar with a volley from seven yards, probably should have scored. Excellent dummy of the ball to create space and get the ball to Hernandez for the fourth goal. Good performance, just needed a goal to top it off scored with a brilliant finish to a Luke Ayling ball over the top to top off his performance. 8.5/10

SUBSTITUTES

Pablo Hernandez (for Roberts, HT) - Immediately involved, one-two with Dallas in the build up to the second goal. Excellent build up play and pull back to set up Liam Cooper to make it 3-0. Brilliant finish from the edge of the box to make it 4-0. He is brilliant. I want to rewatch the second half but with a camera following him and him alone. This Marcelo Bielsa plan of not starting him seems to work well. 9/10

Barry Douglas (for Dallas, 75mins) - Not on long enough to score. N/A

Jamie Shackleton (for Klich, 78mins) - Not on long enough to score. N/A

Ezgjan Alioski (for Harrison, 78mins) - Put in a really good cross but the game was dead by the time he was on. N/A

Gaetano Berardi (for Cooper, 83mins) - Not on long enough to score. N/A