Top of the table after 17 Championship games, Leeds United are three points better off and two places ahead of where they were last season under Daniel Farke with promotion the only aim.
This time last season, Leeds had 32 points from 17 games and sat in third a huge 10 points behind first-placed Leicester. But this time, Daniel Farke’s men are top, albeit on the same points with Sheffield United.
There were plenty of talking points from Leeds’ 10th Championship win of the season. The Yorkshire side cruised to another three points, and a tenth clean sheet. Here are three things LeedsUnited.News learned.
Three things learned from Leeds United’s win over Luton Town
Leeds duo the best two players in the Championship right now
There are many Leeds players in form right now. The whole of the defence can be proud of the start to the 2024-25 season, with a whopping 10 clean sheets. Joe Rothwell has starred in the middle of midfield.
Joel Piroe scored his seventh of the season while Manor Solomon netted two on Sunday. But right now, Leeds boast the best two players in the entire Championship at the moment in Ao Tanaka and Dan James.
Tanaka is statistically the best midfielder in England’s top-four leagues. While James has three goals and assists in his last two games and it should arguably be four, forcing an own goal on Sunday.
On Wednesday night, Tanaka was at his dominating best. A huge 114 successful passes, the most any Leeds player has produced this season and James came on to chip in a third. The duo are unstoppable.
Out-of-contract star deserves new deal, regardless of promotion
Oh, Sam Byram. You think you know 31-year-old Byram after so many years of watching this baby-faced assassin shine at Championship level for Leeds. Then, out of nowhere, he does something magnificent.
Not many would have expected Byram to score, let alone scissor-kick past Thomas Kaminski for Leeds’ first goal. A sensational strike and the Leeds X account compared him to Paolo Di Canio after full-time.
Neil Redfearn says Byram is a “dream” to manage having done so at Leeds. Perhaps, Byram’s Thorp Arch production endears himself more than others but whatever league Leeds are in next season, he must stay.
Leeds defender going under the radar, best form of his life
Daniel Farke is renowned for getting the best out the players at his disposal. Dan James, Joe Rodon, Junior Firpo, Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter, Ethan Ampadu – all showing their best under Farke.
Currently, Pascal Struijk is starring at the back. Ampadu’s injury means he is shouldering the responsibility of wearing the captain’s armband but he has played every minute of Leeds’ 17 Championship matches.
Pascal Struijk’s stats this season:
- 17 starts, 10 clean sheets, two goals
- 1395 successful passes, 91.3% completion rate
- Nine tackles won (60%), 84 duels won (63.6%)
- 55 aerial duels won (66.3%)
- 21 interceptions, three blocks, 75 recoveries
This is off the back of a six-month injury lay-off this year. Struijk’s passing, positioning and aerial strength has been immense and on Wednesday, his goalline clearance was out of this world.
Struijk is in the best form of his life – more so than when coming through under Marcelo Bielsa or playing as a left-back under Jesse Marsch. Slightly under the radar, the left-footed defender is absolutely thriving.
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