BBC pundit Jon Newsome has hailed the performance of Sam Byram in Leeds United’s win at Leicester City on Friday night.
Newsome was speaking on BBC Radio Leeds after the 1-0 win at the King Power Stadium, where he discussed just how impressive Byram was after a tough first-half.
Leeds entered the fixture looking to bring an end to Leicester’s excellent nine-match winning run, and did exactly that with arguably the best performance under Daniel Farke.
Farke’s side were forced to soak up some pressure at times during the match, none more so than Byram, who was up against the home side’s most dangerous player on the night, Abdul Fatawu.
Fatawu got the better of Byram for much of the first half, with the 30-year-old entering the referee’s book after just 26 minutes for a foul on the young Leicester winger.
Newsome praises Byram display in Leeds win
Following the half-time interval, though, Byram very much began to get the better of Fatawu as his threat diminished significantly. Newsome has hailed his display as ‘outstanding’.
He said: “I thought Sam was outstanding. I think the fact he was on a yellow early in the first half meant he was treading on egg shells against a really tricky opponent who is constantly being fed the ball, getting his head down and asking question. He was outstanding, he really was.”
Byram had arguably his toughest 45 minutes since returning to Leeds in the first half but the character and quality he showed to then get the better of his opponent, was excellent.
Of course, Crysencio Summerville was giving him more protection in the second half, but even so Byram was really able to take charge of that one v one battle.
It would’ve been easy for Farke to withdraw him at the break given he was on a yellow. Ultimately, his decision not to has come up trumps.
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