BBC pundit: I haven’t seen a Leeds player with ‘this much promise’ for 40 years in his position
Garth Crooks put three Leeds United players in his Premier League team of the week.
Illan Meslier, Robin Koch and Jack Harrison made the cut after a battling and brilliant 1-0 win over Sheffield United at the weekend.
Crooks saved the most effusive praise for young keeper Illan Meslier who made some strong saves to keep the Blades out.
Writing in his BBC column, Crooks said, “I must be honest, I didn’t know an awful lot about Illan Meslier but by the end of the game I knew everything I needed to know.
“The Leeds keeper made two remarkable saves from John Lundstram and another from George Baldock in a first half full of commitment from both sides.
“The more I saw of him the better he got. I haven’t seen a Leeds keeper with this sort of promise since I first watched a young Mervyn Day 40 years ago.”
Huge praise for youngster
Illan Meslier has had a brilliant start to his Leeds career.
It started with a performance that put him on the map against Arsenal in the FA Cup last January.
Then there was a string of clean sheets that led to the Championship title last season.
The only thing we were waiting for was a display that really showed off his shot-stopping abilities and he provided that against Sheffield United, helping to keep Leeds’ first clean sheet in the Premier League.
This wasn’t just about Meslier, though. Crooks picked three Leeds players in a team of 11 from the whole of the Premier League.
That’s seriously impressive stuff and it should put to bed any doubts that Leeds don’t belong at this level.
In other Leeds United news, ‘Real deal; Absolute box office’: Some Leeds fans want new signing in 1st team after U23 display