'Best player' – Darren Bent drools over 'superb' Leeds ace who 'destroyed' Fulham in 4-3 win

talkSPORT pundit Darren Bent has heaped praise on Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford after his display in the 4-3 win against Fulham on Saturday.

Leeds went 4-1 up, with Bamford scoring the third goal, before wobbling and eventually holding on to win 4-3.

Talking on the Breakfast show, Bent said that Bamford – who has come in for huge amounts of criticism – has been Leeds' best player this season and put him in the same bracket as Kalvin Phillips.

"Entertainment wise they [Leeds] are looking absolutely superb.

"You can just tell Bamford is absolutely loving it. He's probably been their best player. A goal and two assists on Saturday.

"He gets a lot of criticism. Last season he was their top goal-scorer and they got promoted, they were the best team in the division and he was the only player who seemed to get no credit for them getting promoted."

Talking later on the show, Bent said, "He scored against Liverpool. Against Fulham at the weekend he was absolutely superb. He was pushed for the penalty. He absolutely destroyed Odoi down the left-hand side when he set up Helder Costa. Then he scored himself.

"Him and Kalvin Phillips have become Leeds' two best players."

Man of the match

Bamford has had a lot of pressure on his shoulders.

He was responsible for firing Leeds to promotion last season after Jean-Kevin Augustin flopped at Elland Road.

He might not have scored as many as he should have but he's got two in two in the Premier League and that will give him a huge amount of confidence.

That's already double his tally from his previous 27 Premier League appearances.

It was his all-round game against Fulham that impressed so much, though.

His run down the left-hand side, complete with step-over, for Helder Costa's second goal was something we're not used to seeing.

And he got the goal he deserved in a performance that was rated as man-of-the-match by WhoScored.

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