Leeds United player shakes off pre-season concerns with masterclass against Newcastle

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One Leeds United summer signing showed he is ready to be a serious competitor in midfield this season after Saturday’s 0 – 0 against Newcastle United.

Leeds United picked up a vital point in their quest for Premier League survival, holding Newcastle United to a goalless draw at Elland Road.

Attacking reinforcements still appear to be a worry ahead of the transfer window closing on Monday evening but Leeds look up to the physical demands of the top flight.

One player truly showed this, even impressing Jamie Carragher with three key elements of his game and shaking off fans’ pre-season concerns.

Sean Longstaff’s statistics speak for themselves

The former Newcastle player who arrived at Elland Road earlier this summer won the most tackles (4) and won the most duels (8) on Saturday afternoon.

Showing his relentlessness in the middle of the pitch, he also repeatedly came up against his former teammate Bruno Guimaraes, whom he got the better of.

One particular tackle by Longstaff on Guimaraes caught the eye of Jamie Carragher: “It’s always a tell-tale sign when you’ve got a new signing and you think I’ll leave a challenge on one of my former teammates.

“But he’s certainly done that, so Leeds supporters certainly can’t question his commitment against his old club… That’s a great way to make a connection with the Leeds supporters, leaving one on Bruno Guimaraes in midfield.”

Overall, Longstaff earned a 7.4 rating on FotMob, alongside 86% pass accuracy, 13 defensive contributions and two interceptions, in what feels like a defensive masterclass.

Longstaff’s performance earned him Man of the Match for a display which feels like a far cry from his pre-season showings.

Sean Longstaff proves pre-season worries wrong

In pre-season, there were concerns about whether Sean Longstaff was up to the task after suffering with a lack of game-time at Newcastle.

Fans were unimpressed by Longstaff after the Villarreal friendly, with some questioning his quality and what he actually brought to the game.

Longstaff also featured in Leeds’ pre-season friendly against AC Milan at Elland Road. He entered the pitch in the second half, replacing Ao Tanaka.

In the 24 minutes he played, he had 22 touches, won one tackle, and made zero blocks, interceptions, or clearances.

Yesterday he proved he has come a long way since then, and now that Ethan Ampadu and Ao Tanaka are injured, Longstaff is a strong contender for a starting spot in Daniel Farke’s midfield.