Ao Tanaka gives Leeds teammate ‘clip round the ear’ in unseen moment vs Fulham
Leeds United suffered their second defeat in their opening four Premier League matches to Fulham on Saturday.
Alan Shearer shared his sympathy for Gabriel Gudmundsson after the full-back saw his header fly past Karl Darlow in stoppage time to gift Fulham all three points.
Ethan Ampadu was a doubt for the 1-0 defeat against Fulham, but ultimately started at the base of United’s midfield, with the Welshman showcasing his importance again to Daniel Farke’s side.
Unlike Ampadu, Ao Tanaka was not thrown immediately back into the starting XI and had to settle for a place on the bench as the midfielder was a part of something the cameras did not pick up on Saturday.
Ao Tanaka shares playful moment with Lukas Nmecha during trip to Craven Cottage
It was unlikely that Farke and Co. would have been all smiles before the game, with reports suggesting that Leeds arrived late to the match.
There will definitely have been no smiles in the away dressing room after the full-time whistle blew, with Leeds receiving no reward for their resolute defending for over 90 minutes.
- Leeds limited Fulham to just 0.85 xG during their trip to the capital
- All of the xG Fulham accumulated came in the second half, with Marco Silva’s men not having a single shot during the first half
- Despite Leeds being the better side for the majority of the game, they failed to create any clear-cut chances
At half-time, with the game 0-0 and firmly in the balance, Yorkshire Evening Post reporter Graham Smyth reported that Tanaka gave Nmecha a friendly clip around the ear during a debate between the pair.
The two substitutes were arguing over who should go in the middle for the substitutes’ rondo drill during the break.
Tanaka remained an unused substitute throughout the second half, whilst Nmecha came on after 69 minutes to replace Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Ao Tanaka could suit Leeds’ game against Wolves
After the late heartbreak against Fulham, the importance of Leeds’ trip to Molineux next Saturday to take on Wolves has just increased even further.
Wolves have lost all four of their Premier League games this season, and despite the Whites being the away team, it is another ideal opportunity to pick up some rare points on the road.
Leeds proved over the weekend that they can still dictate possession at times away against some of the weaker sides in the division, and you would assume they can do the same against Wolves.
For this reason, Tanaka should come straight back into the starting XI.
Although Sean Longstaff has been impressive in his last two appearances, Tanaka’s quality on the ball will suit the game against Wolves more.
If United find themselves in a situation where they need to defend a lead, Longstaff will be an ideal profile for Farke to bring off the bench late on to sure things up.
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