Willy Gnonto holds key to crucial Sam Allardyce approach for Leeds United after star cameo vs Newcastle United
Leeds United have endured another very frustrating Premier League campaign, with the Whites involved in a relegation battle yet again this season, but Willy Gnonto could hold the key to a late escape.
The West Yorkshire outfit only just managed to stay in the top flight last time out, avoiding relegation by three points.
Things haven’t been much better this time around, with the club currently sitting in the bottom three with just two matches left to play.
But hope remains that the Whites and manager Sam Allardyce can pull off another miracle, especially after the 2-2 draw with Newcastle United on Saturday (13 May).
The manager can take plenty of positives from the match, but one area that he may decide to focus on in the next two matches is set-pieces.
Getting goals from corners and free-kicks may be an approach that Allardyce will be forced to take against West Ham and Tottenham.
The two goals against Newcastle arrived from crosses into the box, and while they were from open play as opposed to set-pieces, it proved that Leeds are dangerous when their defenders are in the opposition box as opposed to their own.
Luke Ayling and Rasmus Kristensen were the two scorers at Elland Road, the first arriving from a Patrick Bamford cross and the second coming in from Wilfried Gnonto.
And it is the young Italian international who could be key for Allardyce in realising this set-piece approach, with the winger winning four fouls against the Magpies, according to Sky Sports.
Despite playing just 26 minutes, he drew more fouls than any other player on the pitch, both for Leeds and for Newcastle.
It could be a similar outcome in the club’s last two matches of the season, with the defenders able to capitalise on the free-kicks that Gnonto is winning in the final third.
As per WhoScored, the Whites are in double figures (10) for goals scored from set-pieces this season, well ahead of several other clubs.
In other Leeds United news, there is “huge uncertainty” surrounding one player’s future at Elland Road, according to former Bleacher Report journalist Dean Jones.