When Leeds United returned from the international break, they knew the task at hand was going to be very difficult. The Whites had to face some of the top teams in the Premier League in consecutive games.
As of last month, nothing seemed to be going the club’s way; losing by three goals to Brighton and Nottingham Forest before the international break was not a good sign. Daniel Farke was also under heavy pressure, with many expecting him to be sacked during the poor run of form. Leeds narrowly lost to Aston Villa in their first game from the break which only increased the pressure.
Their defeat to Manchester City in the next game was not the end of the world, as Farke’s new 3-5-2 system showed potential. Leeds then used their new shape as they beat Chelsea 3-1 at home. That result boosted confidence and the Whites pulled off a 3-3 draw against Liverpool coming from 2-0 down.
Chris Sutton thinks Leeds United star is not good enough
The change in system was partly due to the form of Lukas Nmecha in attack. The German had taken Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s place in the lineup and scored in games against Forest and Villa. Daniel Farke found it necessary to play the duo against Manchester City, and it worked to an extent. Now, former Premier League star Chris Sutton says Nmecha is not good enough for the team:
“The problem Leeds have when Nmecha plays as a central striker is that he will run in behind.” he said on BBC Radio.
“But he doesn’t offer up, he’s not good enough in his hold-up play, his link-up play,”
| Statistic | Lukas Nmecha |
|---|---|
| Goals | 1 |
| Expected Goals | 1.47 |
| Shots | 5 |
| Duels Won | 9 |
Leeds will be without Lukas Nmecha for a while after he picked up a knock before the Liverpool clash.
Nmecha is performing at elite levels this campaign
He has not had many chances this season, but whenever the German has played he has impressed. And in the Manchester City game, he provided the perfect foil for Calvert-Lewin up top. It is a shame his injury now means he misses a few games.
| Rank | Player | xG per 90 |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Erling Haaland | 1.01 |
| 2nd | Lukas Nmecha | 0.77 |
| 3rd | Jean-Phillipe Mateta | 0.72 |
| 4th | Igor Thiago | 0.64 |
| 5th | Beto | 0.58 |
Statistically this season, Nmecha has been among top strikers like Erling Haaland and Jean-Phillipe Mateta this season. The 26-year old has an xG per 90 minutes of 0.77 this season, only Haaland has more. The German manages to generate goal scoring chances when he is on the pitch and his recent run of goals have proved that.
