Daniel Farke is in his second season as Leeds United manager.

Luca Thomas can give Daniel Farke headache after what he did for Leeds United

Jonny is a University of Leeds journalism graduate who became part of the FootballInsider team in Spring 2024, and recently worked as Head of Media for Widnes Vikings Rugby League club. Writing as a freelance reporter and commentator for The Sporting News and StatsPerform, he has covered matches in competitions including the FIFA Men's and Women's World Cups, as well as the Champions League, Women's Euro 2022, Six Nations and the Rugby Union World Cup.

Published on:

14 Sep 2024, 4:40 pm

Leeds United academy striker Luca Thomas provided exactly what Daniel Farke's first-team side has been missing against Charlton Under-21s.

Thomas started up front and scored inside four minutes as the Whites' under-21s drew 1-1 on 13 September, helping the academy side to continue their unbeaten start to the season.

The striker, who turns 20 years old on 16 September, opened the scoring with an incisive finish across the face of goal and into the bottom corner [LUFC], something which the first-team were lacking against Burnley.

United suffered their first defeat of the Championship season at home to the Clarets on 14 September, with early profligacy in front of goal coming back to haunt Farke's side in a 1-0 loss.

Luca Thomas can cause selection headache at Leeds United

Unlike Thomas against Charlton, the first team was not able to get ahead in the opening stages of their match against Burnley, with Mateo Joseph missing a golden chance inside the first 60 seconds.

A failure to finish off early chances also came back to sting the Peacocks in their opening-day draw with Portsmouth, with a five possible points dropped just five games into the new season.

Mateo Joseph has made a transition from the academy to the first-team at Leeds United [Credit: Imago]

Joseph, who played regularly for the academy before establishing himself in Farke's XI this season, was unable to replicate the finishing ability he's shown for Spain's Under-21s against Burnley.

Thomas, meanwhile, had no such worry against Charlton, and with the United boss still experimenting with number nine options in different positions, a door could still open for the 19-year-old.

The current pecking order of strikers at Elland Road is Joseph, then Joel Piroe, and then Patrick Bamford, suggesting that should injuries bite, the likes of Thomas may need to be called upon later this season.

In other Leeds United news, CEO Angus Kinnear gave a brutally honest admission on where club's place in the transfer market lies.

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Leeds United

Daniel Farke

Luca Thomas