Often when it comes to Leeds United and promotion races, the Whites let their nerves get the better of them.
However, with only one game remaining of the current Championship season, the West Yorkshire outfit are already Premier League bound away from any worries seeping in.
Daniel Farke’s side looked every bit ready for the challenge ahead when brushing aside playoff-chasing Bristol City effortlessly in a huge 4-0 win on Monday night.
There was a carnival-like atmosphere in the air at Elland Road throughout, with no hangovers in sight from the home side’s perspective after sealing promotion.
Leeds' best performers vs Bristol City
Leeds might have been anticipating a trickier tie in truth, considering Liam Manning’s Robins aren’t mathematically safe inside the top six positions.
But, from the get-go, the clash felt like a walk in the park for the hosts, with Ao Tanaka’s calm and collected finish from a floating Manor Solomon ball opening the scoring in the 21st minute.
Solomon – away from assisting Tanaka to break the deadlock – really stood out himself during the one-sided contest, with the electric Tottenham Hotspur loanee amassing two successful dribbles and four shots of his own to try and catch out the sheepish visitors from Bristol even more.
Both Wilfried Gnonto and Largie Ramazani would shine too as the other goal scorers on the night, with Ramazani only needing nine minutes of action to bag a brace, whilst both Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu would accumulate a ridiculous 291 accurate passes between them in the heart of the Leeds defence.
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Of course, alongside the aforementioned Welsh pairing, there was also the influential figure of Junior Firpo pulling the strings once more from defence, with his assist for Ramazani’s first of the clash taking his assist haul to the season up to a mighty ten.
Regardless of his standout showings this season, according to reports, it looks unlikely that the ex-Barcelona man will be kept around for the forthcoming challenge of the Premier League.
However, there is another face in Farke’s starting XI who may succumb to the same fate as the left-back over the summer.
7/10 Leeds star needs an upgrade
Tough conversations will have to take place at Leeds this coming off-season involving who is cut out for the intense jump up to the top-flight, with Farke’s neck already allegedly on the line in this regard.
Brenden Aaronson will also be worrying slightly about his long-term future in West Yorkshire, considering the American has previously floundered at the elite level.
Indeed, last time he was plunged into the choppy waters of the Premier League, Aaronson would only manage to pick up one goal and three assists from 36 outings, culminating in the Whites falling back into the reaches of the Championship.
Now, the ex-Red Salzburg attacker will have a point to prove. But, based on his somewhat wasteful approach against the leaky Robins and his topsy-turvy form this season, he might not be Farke’s preferred choice of number 10 in the far tougher division.
Minutes played
86
Goals scored
0
Assists
0
Touches
50
Accurate passes
28/33 (85%)
Key passes
2
Shots
3
Big chances missed
1
It must be said, this was not Aaronson’s worst night of the campaign, far from it. The £45k-per-week attacking midfielder did manage to link up nicely with Solomon and Co at points as another vibrant option up top, but another goal or assist to add to his season collection of 11 from 45-second tier clashes annoyingly evaded him.
Whilst the likes of Solomon and Tanaka wouldn’t look out of place in the top-flight, Aaronson could well find he’s pushed back into the deep-end once more, with Yorkshire Post journalist Tom Coates even labelling his night as “frustrating” despite his 7/10 rating. It was a night of mixed reviews for the American, which rather sums up his time at Leeds, with the Athletic’s Larry Henry suggesting it was a “really positive display”.
Evidently, an upgrade will be required in the Premier League and it might well be that the likes of Firpo, Farke and Aaronson have all just enjoyed their last nights under the Elland Road lights.
Before any more talk centres on whether the inconsistent 24-year-old could be let go of, Leeds still have the chance to clinch the Championship title on the final day of the season, with Plymouth the location for the Whites’ potential triumph.
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