Will Dodds

Sat 5 December 2020 17:40, UK

BBC Sport pundit Mark Lawrenson said that Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford has been one of the “most improved” players this season.

Bamford has scored seven goals from 10 Premier League starts so far this term and has continued to be a big part of Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds side (via WhoScored).

The former Chelsea man came under big pressure last season for being wasteful in front of goal but returns to his former club on Saturday as one the league’s most in-form strikers.

Asked about Bamford’s performances so far this season, Lawrenson said he looked like he had “found half a yard of pace from somewhere”.

“He has always had ability, but when I watched him when he was younger, he didn’t look like he was going to be quick enough at one stage to play in the Premier League,” he said (via BBC Sport).

“But he seems to have found half a yard of pace from somewhere, or at least it looks that way. That will be Bielsa, and the work he has done with him, of course.

“And Patrick is a talented player. He still misses a few, he always did, but his scoring ratio is good and for me he goes under the banner of ‘most improved’ because of the way he has worked on his game.”

Bamford’s form has been one of the real positive stories from Leeds’ return to the Premier League, but they need him to build on that great start with consistent goals for the rest of the year.

Since scoring a hat-trick against Aston Villa, he has scored once in their last four matches and will be desperate to get back on the scoresheet against his former club.

The 27-year-old had the opportunities to score last time out against Everton and had six shots in total (via WhoScored), but failed to beat an in-form Jordan Pickford.

He is likely to get fewer opportunities against Chelsea, who have been excellent at the back in recent weeks, and must take the chances when they come to him.

In other Leeds United news, ‘RIP Leeds’, ‘Going to spank them’ – Many Chelsea fans react to official PL update on Leeds ace