BBC pundit says £13m Leeds player produced his best display since Marcelo Bielsa signed him

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A brilliant night for Leeds United saw us end Middlesbrough’s unbeaten run of nine games and return to the automatic promotion places, with a 4-3 victory – and one player in particular is back to his best.

Having picked up only one point from the last three games – losing to Coventry and Blackburn – Monday night’s clash against Middlesbrough absolutely must win. Luke Ayling and Sam Greenwood, in the stands.

A topsy-turvy game finally ended with Leeds scoring four goals – having failed to score more than one in the past three. A Cree Summerville brace, one each for Patrick Bamford and Willy Gnonto, in the first 45.

The win sees Leeds go back into second place – but have now played a game more than any of our title rivals. Leicester are top on 91 from 43, Leeds second with 90 from 44, Ipswich third with 89 from 43.

Only two others have more assists than Junior Firpo in 2024

It is incredibly tight and Southampton might still see themselves in the picture, at least before their last-minute loss to Cardiff City on Saturday. But points on the board are better than extra games in hand.

It was a Leeds side that seemed to be rejuvenated with confidence, willing to take a risk – unlike the last three games. Yes, three conceded – but four brilliant goals scored. Junior Firpo looked a man possessed.

Now one of the elder players and certainly one of the more-experienced, the £13m signing is still yet to show what he can do when at his best since joining from Barcelona under Marcelo Bielsa‘s stewardship.

Firpo produces best display for Leeds since joining – Newsome

But since the turn of the year, shaking off injury and coming into the Leeds side as first choice, he has started to do that. He has seven assists and since January 1, only two Championship players have more.

One of those is a Leeds player, and the other is a former one – no prizes for guessing; Georginio Rutter and Leif Davis. Firpo got two assists on the night, the first a sublime cross for striker Bamford to score.

A cross described as Stewart Downing-esque by Billy Sharp. The second, a neat, well-timed and weighted pass into Summerville. Jon Newsome told BBC Radio Leeds it was his best display since joining in 2021.

“I thought Junior Firpo was absolutely outstanding, really was, the best I have seen him play, defensively and going forward,” Newsome said about the Leeds defender, who has had his issues, defensively.