Leeds United came away from Brentford with a valuable point, as Dominic Calvert-Lewin maintained his fine form by scoring in a fourth successive Premier League match earlier today.
That result leaves Leeds 17th in the table, sitting three points clear of the relegation zone after navigating a tough away fixture against a Brentford side renowned for its strength at home this season.
With their recent away record reading six defeats from seven league outings, the 1-1 draw marked a timely and encouraging response. Leeds produced a disciplined and competitive performance to bring that run to a halt.
Once again, Daniel Farke’s team demonstrated the character and quality needed at this level, underlining their belief that they can mount a serious fight for Premier League survival in their first season back among the elite.
While Leeds fans are enjoying their team’s recent run of form, it’s time to acknowledge that they got their judgment on Calvert-Lewin woefully wrong.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is proving his critics and Leeds United fans wrong
Leeds needed a striker in the summer, and it was clear that Dominic Calvert-Lewin was not their top target in the last transfer window.
However, the club did end up signing him on a free transfer, and it led to several questions about him and the club’s recruitment policy.
Leeds fans were furious that the club failed to bring in a big-name striker for a top fee, and there was a feeling that they opted for the cheaper option.
The criticism got more caustic after Calvert-Lewin struggled to find the back of the net following his first goal for the club against Wolves early in the season.
He went on a seven-game streak without a goal, and it didn’t help that Leeds were also struggling to get results on the pitch.
However, everything changed against Manchester City in the second half. Daniel Farke shifted to a 5-3-2, and suddenly, Calvert-Lewin looked like a different player.
| Competition | Matches | Goals | Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premier League | 14 | 5 | 947 |
| EFL Cup | 1 | 0 | 32 |
| Total | 15 | 5 | 979 |
He has scored in the last four Premier League games, and is proving to be one of the shrewdest pieces of business done by a club in the last transfer window.
A few more such performances, and Calvert-Lewin will be firmly in contention to be in England’s World Cup squad.
It’s time Leeds fans acknowledged that they judged the 28-year-old striker even before he laced his boots for Leeds this season.
Even Everton fans are stunned
No one was too bothered when Calvert-Lewin decided to decline the offer of a new contract from the club to leave them on a free transfer last summer.
The striker’s injury-prone seasons and a declining goal tally meant Everton fans were not too unhappy when he finally moved on at the end of last season.
However, the reaction from Everton fans to his current form shows a set of supporters who are stunned by the way the 28-year-old has rejuvenated his career at Leeds.
They have not seen this Calvert-Lewin in years, and many felt that the forward was never going to touch his previous heights due to his injury troubles.
However, the Leeds striker is proving detractors wrong everywhere, and this could be the renaissance of his career that Calvert-Lewin has been waiting for.
