Illan Meslier scored an own goal during Leeds United’s 3-1 win over Sheffield United on Monday night. Another howler for the Frenchman, but Daniel Farke doesn’t see it that way.
Illan Meslier‘s poor performance doesn’t take the shine off what was another memorable night for Leeds United in the Championship.
The Whites came from behind at Bramall Lane, scoring three goals in the final 20 minutes of the game to move five points clear of the Blades in 2nd place of the Championship table, with seven now standing between Leeds and Burnley in 3rd.
It’s now 15 games unbeaten in the league for Leeds United. Daniel Farke certainly has the players firing on all cylinders ahead of the final 12 games of the season; all expect maybe Meslier.
Meslier was flapping at the ball in the opening stages against Sheffield United. He looked like a blunder waiting to happen and sure enough, he palmed the ball into his own net to give Sheffield United the lead on the night.
Daniel Farke defends Illan Meslier after Sheffield United 1-3 Leeds United
Leeds United fans have been critical of Meslier throughout this season. Despite the Frenchman having kept a rather staggering 20 clean sheets in the league this season, more than any other goalkeeper, he keeps on making costly mistakes in games.
Thankfully, his own goal against on Monday night didn’t cause Leeds to lose points. He was bailed out by the brilliance of his Leeds United teammates who truly showed their title credentials with a blistering end to the game.
And speaking to Leeds Live after full-time, Farke was quick to defend Meslier, as he so often does. Farke even suggested Meslier’s own goal was the ‘wake up call’ that his side needed on the night: “I wouldn’t blame him. We lost the ball pretty cheap. We deserved to concede this goal. It was the wake up call we needed.”
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One step forward, two steps back for Illan Meslier
Before the Sunderland game earlier in the moth, Meslier had kept six-straight clean sheets for Leeds United, albeit with a lot of help from a very sturdy Leeds defence.
And at the time, Dominic Matteo hailed Meslier’s form, explaining how Meslier’s confidence was bringing the best out of the team as a whole. Matteo said: “He’s had his critics but he’s really bounced back and he’s playing really well. When your goalie is playing well and keeping that many clean sheets, the confidence grows within the group.”
But that error against Sheffield United and Meslier’s overall calamities in the first few exchanges brings him right back to square one.
Farke can only defend the 24-year-old so many times. If Leeds earn promotion then a new no.1 is surely high on the list of Leeds’ things to do in the summer transfer window.
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