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“I thought he was outstanding in the last game, his defensive awareness and steel drives the game forward”- “Daniel Farke HAILS Leeds United Star he really impressed him following his ‘Outstanding’ display Vs Derby County. You won’t believe who he’s talking about
Leeds United solidified their position at the top of the Championship table with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Derby County, capitalizing on earlier results that went in their favor.
Sheffield United were held to a draw by West Brom, and an injury-time winner saw Stoke City defeat Sunderland, just days after Leeds had overtaken Stoke at the Bet365 Stadium. This set up an opportunity for Leeds at Derby.
A win would push Leeds two points clear of Sheffield United and make them the first team to reach 50 points this season. They achieved this, though it wasn’t without effort, with Brenden Aaronson scoring the decisive goal.
The USA international latched onto Joel Piroe’s perfectly-timed pass to score the winner in the 79th minute, after manager Daniel Farke had made several changes, though none of them made a significant impact initially.
Leeds fans voiced frustration with Largie Ramazani, one of the four changes Farke made. However, the game swung in Leeds’ favor after Manor Solomon, Dan James, and Piroe came on. It was Solomon and Piroe who combined for Aaronson’s winner, but Ethan Ampadu stood out for his relentless defensive work, helping Leeds secure a 14th clean sheet with the single goal required. Farke praised Ampadu’s performance post-match.
“I thought he was outstanding in the last game. His defensive awareness, his steel. He drives the game forward. He was out for such a long time and showed what he can do,” Farke said during his press conference.
Ampadu’s stats in the win over Derby were impressive:
90 minutes played
7.9 FotMob rating (second-best on the team)
75 touches, 39/56 passes, 20 passes into the final third
Six defensive actions, six recoveries
18 duels entered, 13 duels won (best on the pitch)
His ability to disrupt opponents and his tactical awareness were key in maintaining Leeds’ solid defensive record, even though he misplaced 17 of his 56 attempted passes. With Ampadu back in the lineup, Leeds have added grit to their technically skilled midfield, making them a stronger unit, particularly on the road.
Leeds now have a few days to recover after playing two games in three days before returning to Elland Road to face Blackburn, where manager Farke will meet his nemesis, John Eustace, who has beaten him in all three previous encounters.
