Illan Meslier will be grateful after what happened in Leeds United win v Sheffield United
Illan Meslier endured a long fortnight of waiting to get back into action for Leeds United against Sheffield United on Friday [18 October].
The Frenchman would have been concerned for his place following his high-profile error at Sunderland on 4 October and has now been able to put it firmly behind him.
Daniel Farke remained faithful to his number one and Meslier was in turn able to enjoy the ideal game in which Leeds utterly blunted the Blades in a 2-0 win at Elland Road.
The 24-year-old had not a single save to make despite an on-paper strong attack deployed by Chris Wilder, spearheaded by Kieffer Moore, who was pacified by Joe Rodon and goalscorer Pascal Struijk all night.
Meslier’s teammates offered him several touches early on to calm any apprehension in front of an electric Leeds crowd, a positive sign of professional support for their stopper.
Illan Meslier enjoys wonderfully quiet Leeds United game
The Yorkshire encounter between West and South had long cagy spells before Struijk finally cast the crucial blow, making things look more comfortable when Mateo Joseph tucked away the late second.
The three points could prove paramount as the race for the Premier League develops in the coming months.
Meslier had 46 touches across the game – one touch more than his opposite number Michael Cooper, but the Blades stopper made two important saves and 15 recoveries [Fotmob].
He would have been wishing Leeds were facing a lesser opponent than the previously unbeaten Sheffield United side, but as it turned out, there was no threat all night from the visitors.
There were only two crosses all night for Meslier to claim and he made just a single clearance, though he was suspect with his distribution as he aced just four of his 12 longer passes upfield [Sofascore], and only made 76 per cent of his short passes [26/34] as Chris Wilder’s men offered a dangerous early press.
Bigger challenges will come for Meslier. A goalkeeper for the Championship promotion favourites has maintained an unconvincing save to shot ratio of 69.4 per cent in the past year according to FBref data, which must improve as he is in the bottom 34 per cent of rival goalkeepers outside the top five leagues.
But in a quiet game with little enforced action in an emotionally charged game as this one was – it acted as the perfect antidote to one of the most difficult periods in his career so far.
In other Leeds news, Andy Hinchcliffe calls out Joel Piroe after his moment v Sheffield United.
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