David Prutton surprised Joe Gelhardt didn’t start for Leeds United in Carabao Cup v Arsenal
David Prutton wants Marcelo Bielsa to “unleash” Joe Gelhardt when Leeds United play Norwich at Carrow Road on Sunday.
Gelhardt, 19, came off the bench against Wolves last weekend and won the last-gasp penalty that Rodrigo scored to secure a point.
The ex-Wigan forward also came off the bench against Arsenal in the week as he continues to play more and more regularly in Bielsa’s senior squad.
Sky Sports pundit Prutton has been impressed by Gelhardt and has tipped him to wreak havoc on lowly Norwich on Sunday if he gets the chance to play.
“As for [Crysencio] Summerville and Gelhardt, I think we were all quite surprised that Joe did not get a start at Arsenal after his display off the bench in Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Wolves,” Prutton wrote on the Yorkshire Evening Post website.
“But we still saw, in glimpses, a player who can cause the opposition problems and, obviously against Wolves he had that wonderful driving run that won the penalty.
“That showed what he is capable of and, if you unleash a player like that against a Norwich side that is low on confidence, then he can definitely cause them problems.”
Special talent
Gelhardt has the makings of a star.
While he’s still waiting for his first senior goal at Leeds, the former Wigan teenager has only played four times for Bielsa so far and in that time he’s managed to score in a penalty shoot-out win over Fulham and win that penalty versus Wolves.
There are a lot of encouraging signs surrounding the teenager, who’s scored six goals in seven Premier League 2 appearances for the Under-23s this season.
It remains to be seen whether Patrick Bamford will be fit to play against Norwich on Sunday.
If he’s not then we can expect Rodrigo to start but either way, Gelhardt should be working his way up that pecking order to be second or third in line to play behind Bamford up front.
If Bamford starts on Sunday at Norwich then that means Rodrigo could be played in the midfield or in the No 10 role.
If that’s the case then Bamford might not be able to complete 90 minutes and we could see Gelhardt replace him at some point in the second half.
While we really need Bamford back in this team, we want to see more and more of Gelhardt, who’s showing all the signs of a future England international.
In other Leeds United news, this midfielder has admitted he’d like to quit Leeds at the end of the season.