Gary Neville has revealed his delight at what he saw from a Leeds United star in their 3-1 win over Chelsea at Elland Road on Wednesday night.
The Leeds stars produced a performance against Chelsea that not only saved Daniel Farke’s job but also restored some confidence inside the squad during a tough period of the season.
They came into the game on the back of four defeats on the trot, and several of the players produced one of their best performances to get the team out of the rut.
However, for Neville, one player stood out. The former Manchester United full-back was left mightily impressed by another full-back on Wednesday night.
Gary Neville was left astonished by Leeds United star Gabriel Gudmundsson
Gumundsson has been one of Leeds’ best players. When the other were failing around him, the Swede looked a class apart and a brilliant summer signing.
In the new wing-back role, he is excelling, and Neville pointed out the energy levels he showed to go up and down the pitch against Chelsea on Wednesday night.
He stressed that Chelsea had no answer to the Swede on that side of the pitch, and he is turning out to be a super player for Leeds this season.
“Wow, what a player this Gudmunsson is. The energy levels to get up and down the pitch are incredible”, Neville said on Sky Sports.
“He’s got some legs on him – the energy up and down all through the game. Chelsea have just not been able to match this.”
Neville also heaped praise on Jaka Bijol and how Chelsea were terrified of him whenever Leeds had an attacking set-piece.
He also loved the physicality Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nemcha brought to the table to bully the Chelsea defenders, and conceded the away side had no answer to what they were doing.
“Every time he comes up, Bijol, he looks like a threat. Even before his goal, he got on the end of two other crosses. They don’t know how to handle him.
“The two lads up front, Nmecha and Calvert-Lewin, have bullied Chelsea all game. Then you’ve had Bijol coming from the back, and Chelsea looked scared of him.
“The physicality of Leeds all game, Chelsea have been nowhere near it. They have not shown Elland Road the respect it deserves. When you come here, you have to expect this.
“Chelsea have been beaten up all game. They have been blown away here at Elland Road by the Leeds players and the crowd.”
Gudmundsson has been a revelation
He is considered one of the only two successful signings Leeds made in the summer transfer window.
The defender has been a complete revelation, and he has looked equally adept as a left-wing back after Daniel Farke shifted to a 5-3-2 formation.
Gabriel Gudmundsson — Performance vs Chelsea
| Shots | 1 |
|---|---|
| Shots on Target | 0 |
| Key Passes | 2 |
| Pass Accuracy (PA%) | 66.7% |
| Aerials Won | 1 |
| Touches | 55 |
| Rating | 7.96 |
Gudmundsson was a constant menace on the left-hand side, and his performances suggest that he is one of the best full-backs in the Premier League.
He is developing his attacking game rapidly, and defensively, he has been safe all season.
The Swede is going to be a huge player if Leeds have to survive in the Premier League at the end of the campaign.
