“Leeds won because of him, he was a complete THREAT to us”- Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom says Leeds United have a player who is threatening to become ‘too good to stop
Manor Solomon Channels Arjen Robben as Leeds United Blow Past Preston
Leeds United wasted no time asserting themselves against Preston North End, and one of Daniel Farke’s promotion-chasing stars instantly evoked memories of a legend — the kind of inevitability once associated with Arjen Robben.
Everyone knew what Robben would do — cut inside and shoot — but stopping it was another matter entirely.
The former Chelsea, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Netherlands winger mastered that trademark move. What began as a predictable trick evolved into a devastating weapon that terrorized even the best defenders in the world.
Israeli winger Manor Solomon hasn’t been likened directly to Robben — local media instead compared him to Liverpool’s Luis Díaz, another wide player known for executing a signature move with precision.
And perhaps that’s the more accurate comparison: Díaz, like Solomon, prefers cutting in onto his right foot rather than Robben’s famous left.
“Once you go to press Solomon, you risk giving him half a step — and that’s all he needs to unleash his explosive power,” noted Roy Weinberg for Sport5.
And sure enough, as Leeds surged ahead just four minutes into Saturday’s clash — shaking off their usual struggles with early kick-offs — Solomon stood out as a key figure in Farke’s lineup.
Paul Heckingbottom Frustrated as Solomon Sparks Leeds Victory
Former Leeds boss Paul Heckingbottom, now in charge of Preston, was well aware of Leeds’ tendency to start on the front foot. Thanks to Solomon’s early strike and Jayden Bogle’s 13th-minute goal, Leeds have now netted 14 times in the opening 15 minutes of Championship games this season.
Solomon’s opener was pure class, drawing comparisons to Robben for the way he drifted inside and finished with pinpoint precision. But while Heckingbottom acknowledged the quality, he still felt his players should’ve done more to stop it.
“We talked about how fast they start,” said Heckingbottom. “All season we’ve defended our box well. We discussed Solomon cutting inside — it was quality from him, but from our side, we should’ve handled it better.”
He added: “We got back into it with a great goal. Then Jayden [Meghoma] gets beaten on the inside — a learning moment for him. You just can’t let that happen as a full-back.”
Gnonto Steps Up with James Sidelined
Despite the defeat, Heckingbottom admitted Leeds were deserved winners. And with Dan James sidelined due to a hamstring injury picked up against Middlesbrough, Farke was able to rely on both Solomon’s sharpness and a bright performance from Willy Gnonto, who made the most of a rare start.
“When the game opens up, you’re always going to give them some space,” Heckingbottom said. “We were brave, but they created far more than we did.”
He continued: “We kept warning about not letting Solomon cut inside, but he was excellent. He’s settled in now, a constant threat and one of their most reliable players. And with Dan James out, they still had Gnonto ready to step in. That squad has real firepower in the final third.”
