Marcelo Bielsa proven right again as £30m flop struggles against Leeds

Leeds United put on their best performance of the season so far when they demolished Crystal Palace 4-1 at Elland Road.

Ethan Ampadu was exceptional for Leeds against Palace, epitomising everything Daniel Farke’s side did well during the game as the Welshman frequently broke up play, provided a set-piece threat with his long throw-ins and even managed to get himself on the scoresheet.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s brace will naturally ensure he grabs more headlines, as the striker continues to prove to be a shrewd acquisition from the 49ers over the summer, despite sections of the fanbase being sceptical of the signing at first.

However, one former Leeds player, who was playing for Crystal Palace, particularly struggled upon his return to Elland Road, further justifying Marcelo Bielsa’s decision to rarely hand the player a start.

Eddie Nketiah anonymous upon return to Elland Road

Nketiah, 26, joined Leeds on loan in the summer of 2019 from Arsenal but failed to make a significant impact at the Whites before ultimately being recalled by his parent club in January.

During his brief stint in West Yorkshire, Nketiah scored three goals in 17 Championship appearances for Leeds, although just two of those were starts.

Whilst fans begged and pleaded for the youngster to receive more gametime, Bielsa persisted with Patrick Bamford, a decision that, in the end, proved to be the correct one as Leeds won promotion back to the Premier League.

Since leaving Leeds, Nketiah was used sparingly at Arsenal as an impact substitute over multiple seasons before making a £30million move to Crystal Palace in 2024, where he has since struggled to establish himself as a regular starter.

The forward was handed just his second start of the season against Leeds in a move that Oliver Glasner will surely regret when analysing the Englishman’s performance.

• Nketiah was limited to just one shot on target against Leeds
• The two dribbles he attempted during the game were unsuccessful
• Nketiah was hooked in the 77th minute for Justin Devenny

(Sofascore)

Considering the hefty price tag he was sold for and his lacklustre performances since then, Bielsa’s decision to bench Nketiah at Leeds has aged tremendously well.

READ MORE: Jamie Redknapp left ‘in awe’ by Leeds United masterclass vs Crystal Palace – The Leeds Press

Eddie Nketiah still wouldn’t start for Leeds today

Although Nketiah was just 20 when he joined United on loan, he hasn’t developed into a player who would be good enough to start for Farke’s side in the present day.

As seen in the game at Elland Road on Saturday night, Leeds are a very direct team, built to capitalise on set-pieces.

Whilst Nketiah does possess good goal poaching abilities, physically, he would not be cut out for Farke’s system when compared to the two titans Leeds have in Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha, when he returns from injury.

By now, Leeds fans know not to question the genius of Bielsa, and the way the Argentinian managed Nketiah is just another example of that.