Mark Smith

Sun 21 June 2020 15:35, UK

Leeds United missed the perfect opportunity on Sunday afternoon to extend their gap at the top of the Championship.

The Whites could have gone 10 points ahead of third-placed Fulham but instead fell to a disappointing 2-0 defeat against Cardiff City.

Marcelo Bielsa’s men dominated the game, but two mistakes from the away side led to the Bluebirds snatching a two-goal victory in the Welsh capital.

The majority of Leeds fans struggled to pick out one player who impressed in the game after the disappointing result.

Pablo Hernandez was sorely missed, as Bielsa made two changes to the side that beat Huddersfield before the enforced lockdown.

Tyler Roberts came in for the Spaniard, and Kalvin Phillips was brought back in after the break allowed him to regain his fitness.

Here are our player ratings from the 2-0 defeat on Sunday…

Illan Meslier – 5

The Frenchman has impressed since coming into the side, but Sunday was probably his worst performance for the club yet. Meslier had no chance with the second strike but definitely should have saved Junior Hoilett’s goal after getting a strong hand too it.

Luke Ayling – 6

Ayling was taken off towards the end of the second half after taking a few heavy blows. The 28-year-old was his usual self and bombed forward consistently to support Helder Costa, but his final ball was certainly not good enough as Leeds struggled to find the back of the net.

Liam Cooper – 5

It was a strange performance from the captain. Cooper slipped into his old ways and was too static at times, being frightened to take the ball forward and often played sideways instead of forward. The Scotsman’s performance was summed up by his mistake for the second goal, selling Ezgjan Alioski way too short before the game finishing strike.

Ben White – 6

It took time for White to get back into his groove, and he was definitely lucky to escape a booking in the first half after making numerous fouls in and around the centre-circle. The Brighton loanee did take the game by the scruff of its neck and ran at the Cardiff midfield when the opportunity arose. As time goes on, White will slowly improve and it will be needed against Fulham.

Stuart Dallas – 7

As he has proved many times since Bielsa came to the club, Dallas is very reliable. The Northern Irish international bombed forward constantly and was always a thorn in the side of the Cardiff defence. The full-back will be vital in the next eight games and if this was the level he started at, he isn’t far off his best.

Kalvin Phillips – 5

Not good enough. We’ve all come to expect the very best from the Yorkshire Pirlo, but he was way too sluggish and his mistake for the first goal summed it up. It will be much tougher against Fulham, and he must up his performance if we are to pick up all three points.

Mateusz Klich – 3

If Phillips was poor, Klich was shocking. The Pole is vital to Bielsa’s system, linking midfield and attack but on Sunday, he went missing. His frustration was clear to see and it was summed up by him being dragged off and replaced by Robbie Gotts.

Jack Harrison – 4

So, so frustrating. Harrison’s final delivery was nowhere near good and he failed to cause Dion Sanderson consistent problems down the left. On another day, the City winger could have scored an equaliser and kickstarted Leeds United and their quest for promotion after the restart.

Helder Costa – 5

It was a typical performance from the winger. Costa consistently showed glimpses of promise when on the ball, but his final pass or delivery never found its intended destination, and with Ian Poveda impressing off the bench, he must book up his ideas.

Tyler Roberts – 7

There was a lot of pressure on the shoulders of the Welshman, replacing Hernandez. For the majority of the game, he stepped up and impressed. The only concern would be that Roberts has the tendency to lose the ball in dangerous areas, and he must learn to take one touch and make a pass – something which Hernandez could teach him.

Patrick Bamford – 4

The break has clearly taken away all of the positive signs Bamford was showing before the lockdown. The frustrating striker blocked a certain goal for the Whites and hardly touched the ball after, missing a number of chances to be clean-through on goal in the second half.

In other Leeds United news, Angus Kinnear has claimed this minor change at Elland Road could give Whites an edge