Sky Sports pundit shares verdict on Tottenham loanee Djed Spence in Leeds United full debut v Sunderland
Jobi McAnuff says Djed Spence caught the eye on his full debut for Leeds United with his ability to get up the pitch against Sunderland.
After being restricted to just two substitute appearances since arriving on loan from Tottenham, Spence was named in the starting line-up at the Stadium of Light.
The 23-year-old could not prevent Leeds from falling to a 1-0 loss, however, and he was substituted off in the final 10 minutes of the game.
Discussing Spence’s performance while the match was ongoing, McAnuff told Sky Sports News [12 December, 9:22pm]: “His athleticism, his pace and his ability to get up the pitch has been on show. But Sunderland have done well to restrict that space in behind.”
Caught the eye
Injuries to Sam Byram and Jamie Shackleton paved the way for Spence to show what he is all about in the meeting with Sunderland.
Unfortunately for the Spurs loanee, however, his first inclusion in the starting line-up coincided with Leeds’ first defeat in eight matches.
Spence certainly showed his attacking talents, as no Leeds player registered more than his two key passes [WhoScored].
The former England U21 international also registered a shot and completed two dribbles, more than justifying McAnuff’s assessment.
Spence was also top of the list for tackles (three), so while the game ended in disappointment for United, the full-back did at least stand out.
All that said, there is definitely room for improvement, not least when it comes to reacting to opposition attacks.
With Byram out until after Christmas, Spence will have an opportunity to iron out certain aspects of his game and potentially become a first-team regular.
In other Leeds United news, a first-team regular has shared a moment that blew him away last week.