Kevin Phillips gushes over ‘world-class’ Illan Meslier despite Leeds United loss v Sunderland
Kevin Phillips was wowed by what Illan Meslier did for Leeds United against Sunderland on Tuesday (12 December).
Speaking on Sky Sports Main Event (08:54pm), the pundit said he can’t see a goalkeeper making a “better save” this season after the Frenchman kept out a header from Jenson Seelt that deflected off Whites centre-back Joe Rodon.
He added that it was a “world-class” save from the 23-year-old despite Daniel Farke’s side losing 1-0 to a second-half goal from Jobe Bellingham.
“I can’t see any goalkeepers making a better save this season,” said Phillips. “It’s almost behind him, you can see Seelt’s reaction, he thinks he’s scored, but it’s actually come off Rodon. He’s ready for it, he’s not rooted and this is just a world-class save.”
Unfortunate
It was a superb save from Meslier as the ball looked like it had beaten him before he managed to get a strong hand to it and push it away from goal.
That was just after the keeper had made another important save when he kept out an attempted clearance from Rodon from point-blank range.
He was extremely unfortunate to end up on the wrong side of the result on the back of those saves, with Bellingham nodding past him later on in the second half.
The Frenchman has been impressive so far this season, having kept seven clean sheets in his 21 appearances after it previously looked like he would be moving away from Elland Road over the summer.
He has, however, got his head down and worked hard on his game over the past few months to show Farke why he should be the number-one this season.
In other Leeds United News, a former Whites player has suggested Summerville lied about what he said on the club’s official podcast.