Joe Ellis

Wed 5 October 2022 10:10, UK

Leeds United may not have had a first-team game on Tuesday but that doesn’t mean that there wasn’t a chance to impress for some.

Michael Skubala’s Under-21 side travelled to The Wirral to take on Tranmere Rovers in their first Papa John’s Trophy group stage game and went on to win a hectic game 5-3 at Prenton Park.

Mateo Joseph scored twice to continue his fantastic form while Sonny Perkins picked up his customary goal along with strikes from Joe Gelhardt and Cody Drameh.

It was a very strong side with Gelhardt and Drameh both regular features of the senior team squad as is Sam Greenwood but he endured a different kind of night.

The 20-year-old did not get his name etched onto the scoresheet and was then sent for an early bath as he flew into a challenge Leeds Live reporter Will Jackson described as “nasty” in the second half.

It was a hotly-contested game overall with the Super White Army keen to try and teach the young Whites a lesson before getting schooled themselves.

But Greenwood has done his chances of impressing Jesse Marsch absolutely no favour and proven that he is not yet ready to play regularly for the senior team.

Leeds were at least used to playing with ten men having done so at home to Aston Villa for half of the game after Luis Sinisterra’s stupid second yellow offence.

A similar tactic was deployed here and it worked enough to get the win but no Whites side at any level wants to be a man short so often.

Greenwood will now have to miss the next game in the Papa John’s Trophy as a result and therefore give himself even fewer chances to make a claim for first-team football.

The form of Joseph and Perkins is another cause for concern with the dynamic duo tearing apart every team in their path right now and they could easily jump ahead of the 20-year-old in the attacking queue.

In other Leeds United news, Rene Maric has been a revelation since arriving at Thorp Arch and one of his former colleagues has been waxing lyrical about him.