‘So much potential’… BBC pundit says Leeds have another exciting youngster coming through with Archie Gray

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Despite losing 3-2 to Chelsea, it was a night where the youngsters really stepped up for Leeds United.

A much-changed Leeds side made the trip to Stamford Bridge hoping to pull off an unlikely cup upset and pushed their Premier League opposition all the way, with Conor Gallagher’s 90th minute goal the only thing to separate the two sides.

Archie Gray was the shining light from both sets of players and was handed the Man of the Match award by ITV, though his performance will come as little surprise to Leeds fans after his season.

However, there was another who also really stepped up for the Whites, and that was Mateo Joseph, as he netted his first ever goals for the club in what was a coming of age performance from the 20-year-old.

Speaking on BBC Radio Leeds post-match, pundit Jon Newsome was full of praise for Joseph’s performance and believes he has so much potential to make a sustained impact at Elland Road, like Gray.

Newsome says Joseph full of potential

He said: “I thought he did excellent, that is his role isn’t it. Not a 10, you can see with his physique, with his game, how he plays. He likes to get up against the centre-backs and run in the channels, and I think he has got loads of potential, but lots to learn about the game.

“He will get better and better and the more games he can play like tonight, he must be sat there thinking in the dressing room that he is good enough and belongs at this level.

“That would’ve been a nagging doubt in his mind, but suddenly comes here and scores a couple of cracking goals against a top Premier League and European club. All of a sudden you’ve got that self belief, will be sticking his chest out more and got the spring in his step.”

Though league minutes haven’t been easy to come by this season, there is a reason Leeds handed Joseph a new long-term deal not long after Gray, and he proved that last night.

Joseph spoke after the game last night about how far he and Gray have come in the space of just a couple of years, and hopefully this is the start of a long career at Leeds.

The next step for him now is to try and break into that Championship starting XI, and based on the evidence of last night, he may have just moved ahead of Joel Piroe.