Leeds United must hand Georginio Rutter his first Premier League start v Everton
Leeds United must hand their £35m January signing Georginio Rutter his first Premier League start in their crucial bottom-of-the-table clash against Everton this weekend.
The Whites have confirmed [The Athletic, 14 February] that Michael Skubala will take charge of the squad at Elland Road for the foreseeable future whilst the powers at the club continue their search for the next permanent manager, following the sacking of Jesse Marsch [6 February].
Leeds find themselves in yet another torrid position in the Barclays Premier League table, sitting just a point outside the relegation spots heading into this weekend’s crucial tie with fellow relegation candidates Everton.
Following the draw and defeat to Manchester United in the Roses derby double-header – Skubala’s first two games in interim charge – the Thorp Arch academy coach will be looking to make some crucial tactical tweaks and changes as the Whites seek to claim their first league win since the start of November.
Their next two games, against relegation rivals in Everton and Southampton present two real opportunities for the Whites to gain some much-needed points, and one man who must finally be handed his chance is January acquisition, Rutter.
Elland Road fan-favourite Patrick Bamford has so far failed to deliver upon his return from injury so far, and looked a shadow of his former self in the defeat to Manchester United on Sunday, especially after he looked promising in the corresponding fixture at Old Trafford last week.
With the club undergoing something of a clean slate following Marsch’s sacking, they could well turn to a player the American initially entrusted to fire them to Premier League safety after his £35.5m move from German Bundesliga outfit TSG Hoffenheim [Sky Sports, 15 January].
Over his relatively short career so far, Rutter has scored 20 goals and delivered 10 assists with a goal contribution every 174 minutes, proving that he is showing glimpses of consistency in his output.
Upon his move to Elland Road, it seemed the perfect next step for his development considering the high-intensity and bullish attacking style incorporated in West Yorkshire, that he effortlessly thrived in at Hoffenheim.
The Whites paid huge money for the forward for a reason, and the club board will be praying for some kind of return on that price tag in the coming weeks, but that can only be done if the player is provided with consistent opportunities to impress.
With Skubala looking for some new attacking impetus against Everton this Saturday, the interim coach should ditch Bamford and hand finally hand Rutter his first Premier League start, who knows the player could then become the club’s go-to man for goals and attacking inspiration for the foreseeable future.
In other Leeds United news, click here to see breaking, around-the-clock updates on Leeds’ search for a new manager in our interactive live blog.
Be sure to follow MOT Leeds News on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date with all the latest, breaking news from Elland Road.