Leeds United cruised to three points on Saturday at Elland Road without ever really exceeding second gear, as QPR became another side that failed to have a shot on target against The Whites.
Goals from Jayden Bogle and Joel Piroe proved to be enough as Leeds eased to an eighth league win of the season against a QPR side that are struggling at the other end of the Championship table right now.
Leeds meanwhile, have returned to second in the table. But that is despite Junior Firpo being suspended for three Championship games on the morning of the game, for a headbutt on a Millwall player this week.
Despite Leeds playing a few hours later, The FA decided to announce Firpo’s suspension on the morning of a 3pm game. It saw Sam Byram come into the side for a third start in Leeds’ last four league games.
Stuart Dallas says he loves watching ‘aggressive’ Leeds player
Byram, 31, had replaced Firpo and then Jayden Bogle in recent games due to one-match suspensions following the accumulation of five yellow cards. On Saturday, he was drafted in again by Daniel Farke.
Speaking ahead of the match on LUTV’s Matchday Live show, Elland Road icon Dallas said that Byram was “Mr. Reliable” and that he loves watching the Thorp Arch academy product play for the Yorkshire outfit.
“We know what we get out of Sam Byram when he plays. He’s Mr. Reliable. Is he as attacking as Junior when he plays? Of course not,” former Leeds legend Dallas said when discussing versatile ace Byram.
“But he gives you more balance in defence. He’s aggressive as well, I love the way he plays. He’s not afraid to get rattled into people, which sometimes you need to get the crowd going when games are a bit dull.”
Sam Byram shows why Daniel Farke can rely on him once again
Coming in against Bristol City, Byram won all eight of his duels. On Saturday, it was a different kind of game for Byram – one that he might not have suited him, with Leeds focused on breaking the lines.
Sam Byram stats for Leeds against QPR
- 7.2 FotMob rating (Sixth-highest for Leeds)
- Disallowed assist for offside, Manor Solomon tap-in
- 94 touches (fourth-highest), 50 successful passes from 63
- Seven passes into final third (fifth-highest)
- Six defensive actions, two tackles, two recoveries
- Four duels won
While Firpo and Bogle obviously bring more to the side as a whole, especially in an attacking sense, Byram is a brilliant replacement and Farke is reflecting that by choosing him ahead of Isaac Schmidt.
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