Leeds United fans are having a great festive period with their team at the summit of the Championship standings. The 1-0 win over Derby County at Pride Park allowed the Whites to open up a two-point lead at the top of the league table. The Yorkshire giants are looking like a real deal for automatic promotion but more importantly, they seem to have sorted out their issues in a key area of their squad before 2025 rolls in.
The Yorkshire giants are the leading goalscorers in the Championship this season but Joel Piroe, their first-choice striker, has only scored nine of those goals.
Leeds have been the prime example of how goals can be spread across the squad with Brenden Aaronson now chipping in with goals as well with three in his last five league games.
Wilfried Gnonto and Largie Ramazani came into the starting eleven in Leeds’ win over Derby County with Mateo Joseph also getting a chance to lead the line at Pride Park after Daniel Farke decided to rotate the squad.
However, the trio were ineffective in the first half and showed why none of the three players are first-choice starters for Farke who brought in the heavy machinery in the second half to win the game for Leeds.
There is now a clear indication of who are considered the first-choice front three for Leeds following the team’s performances over the last few weeks.
The first-choice front three have emerged for Leeds United
For months, Gnonto was getting the nod ahead of other wide players but he lost his place in the team in recent weeks and is now facing a fight to get back into the starting eleven.
His performance at Derby didn’t inspire confidence and it is clear that he is no longer considered the part of the first-choice front three by the Leeds United boss.
Farke is now expected to rely on the attacking talents of Manor Solomon on the left wing, Daniel James on the right and Joel Piroe leading the line down the middle.
Solomon was again a threat on the left-hand side and played a big role in the winning goal scored by Aaronson against Derby on Sunday evening.
The Israeli winger also provided a sumptuous pass that set up James earlier in the game but the Welsh winger was denied a goal by Derby goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom.
Piroe didn’t get on the scoresheet on Sunday evening but he came on and made a major impact on Leeds winning the game at Pride Park.
The Dutchman’s pass set up Aaronson inside the box to slot in the finish that secured the three points for the Whites at Derby. He showed his value with his neat passing and his ability to thread a ball through.
The door is not shut for the others but they need to do more
James and Piroe have been more or less first-choice attackers for Leeds this season and Solomon has fought his way back into the starting eleven through the weight of his performances.
Solomon scored once and registered two assists in Leeds’ 4-0 win over Oxford United and was a constant menace in the final third in the last two games.
Ramazani, Gnonto and Joseph got their opportunity to impress at Derby with Farke needing to rotate the squad due to the gruelling schedule of the festive period.
However, the trio disappointed and gave no reasons to the Leeds boss to think twice about getting his first-choice front three back into the team against Blackburn at Elland Road on New Year’s Day.
With little less than half the season left, there will be more twists and turns and Leeds are never too far away from injuries so the door is not close on anyone getting back into the starting eleven.
However, for now, Solomon, Piroe and James have earned the right to get a long run of games as the first-choice front three.
