View: Jack Harrison returns to sparkling form for Leeds United
It has been a strange season for Leeds United winger Jack Harrison.
The 25-year-old impressed during loan spells at Leeds that prompted the club to sign him permanently from Manchester City.
He is usually very reliable for Marcelo Bielsa’s side, but he struggled for form and consistency for a large part this season.
From September till January, he was pretty average, and apart from the game against Tottenham Hotspur, there aren’t many games where he took the centre stage.
Bielsa said earlier this season (29 October): “You ask me a question where you know that I can’t praise his performances up until now.
“But what’s happening to Harrison is happening to all our players in the squad where they have better or worse moments and nobody is able to maintain a regular consistency in their performances especially when they are playing in attack.”
However, Harrison brings a lot more to the game than just scoring or providing assists. He puts in a lot of defensive shifts and his work ethic are admired by everyone at the club.
In the last few matches, Harrison appears to have found his Midas touch once again, and his return to form has come as a huge boost for the Whites.
The 3-1 win against Burnley is probably the turning point for him. He not only scored that day but played with loads of confidence.
In the following game, he came up with a hat-trick against the Hammers. Although the likes of Pascal Struijk and Raphinha stole the show, the goals did a world of good to him.
He did well in the 1-0 defeat against Newcastle United as well and was lively in the 3-0 defeat against Everton on Saturday at Goodison Park.
Against the Magpies, he made two key passes along with Raphinha, and made three tackles during the game, according to Whoscored.
Against Everton, where the home side dominated, he managed 68 touches during the game and provided three key passes, more than any other Leeds player. Also, he made a solid defensive contribution with as many as four tackles during the game.
The next four games are very tough for the Whites as they face Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham and Leicester City. It will require a collective effort to get positive results from these games but Bielsa will want Harrison to continue his impressive run.
In other Leeds United news, One Whites star delivered a special weekend message to Ezgjan Alioski