Leeds 3-0 Southampton
- Goals: Patrick Bamford (£6.9m), Stuart Dallas (£5.0m), Raphinha (£5.4m)
- Assists: Tyler Roberts (£4.6m), Hélder Costa x2 (£5.0m)
- Bonus points: Dallas x3, Illan Meslier x2 (£4.7m), Raphinha x1
WHAM BAM
Patrick Bamford (£6.9m) finally delivered the Double Gameweek goods as he netted in Leeds’ meeting with Southampton.
After watching a second-half effort ruled out for offside against Wolves, the mid-priced forward notably adjusted his run to convert on Tuesday night.
Tyler Roberts (£4.6m) put him through the middle of Southampton’s defence for a routine finish, his 13th goal of the season and his 21st attacking return.
Backed by 1.6 Fantasy Premier League managers for the Double Gameweek 26 captaincy, Bamford has now produced a goal or assist in five of his last six home league matches. That bodes well for further returns considering three of Leeds’ next five Premier League fixtures are at Elland Road.
As per usual, the size of Bamford’s latest score could have been bigger. His best chance outside the second-half goal came in the third minute when he powered through the middle and, when he probably should have unleashed an effort from just inside the Southampton box, he laid off to Roberts who could not reach the pass.
Meanwhile, Bamford even contributed at the other end of the field in the second half, turning a Jannik Vestergaard (£4.7m) header over the crossbar in the 64th minute.
RAPH TRADE
Just as was the case at Wolves on Friday night, Raphinha (£5.4m) was exceptionally unlucky not to come away with another massive haul, although like Bamford, he did, at least find the net.
Despite being one of Leeds’ best players against Southampton, the Brazilian winger was denied both goals and assists with frustrating regularity for his 9.7% ownership.
In the 24th minute, Raphinha found some space behind Ryan Bertrand (£5.0m) with a mazy run and could have gone down for a penalty but squared for an unmarked, onrushing Roberts who skied a big chance.
Then, 14 minutes later, the Leeds wide-man was played through on goal in a gilt-edged one-on-one with Alex McCarthy (£4.5m) only for Oriol Romeu (£4.5m) to sprint back with all the endeavour of a Bamford captainer to put in arguably one of the best tackles of the season to deny him.
There were two more glaring misses from Raphinha passes in the second half that would have hugely frustrated his backers.
Roberts fired wide again in the 50th minute before Diego Llorente (£4.4m) forced an impressive save out of McCarthy but should have scored himself.
It was in the closing stages that Raphinha finally got his due, rifling home a free-kick from range after a foul on Hélder Costa (£5.0m).
Line-up Lessons
Stuart Dallas (£5.0m) returned to central midfield against Southampton although only after another enforced change for Bielsa.
The Northern Ireland international started the game at left-back once again, the Leeds’ cause helped by Llorente making only his third appearance since joining in the summer.
“(Llorente starting is) necessary in this moment and we hope he can show the qualities that brought him here.” – Marcelo Bielsa
However, Dallas still found his way to central midfield thanks to an injury to Mateusz Klich (£5.2m) in the second half.
With Pascal Struijk (£3.9m) occupying the Kalvin Phillips (£4.9m) in defensive midfield, Ezgjan Alioski (£4.4m) was the nearest replacement with Dallas able to step forward.
Like Raphinha, he was also unlucky not to get an even bigger haul. It was Dallas who played Bamford for that chance he tried to move onto Roberts before the forward missed another Dallas key pass in the 52nd minute, forcing a good save from McCarthy.
Still, that shift forward allowed Dallas to get involved the goals all the same, toe-poking an edge-of-the-box strike beyond McCarthy after a Costa cross in the 78th minute.
Leeds United XI (4-1-4-1): Meslier; Dallas, Cooper, Llorente, Ayling; Struijk; Harrison (Costa 46′), Roberts (Hernandez 75′), Klich (Alioski 59′), Raphinha; Bamford.
Southampton XI (4-2-2-2): A McCarthy; Bertrand, Vestergaard, Salisu, Bednarek; Tella (Minamino 58′), Romeu (Djenepo 70′), Ward-Prowse, Armstrong; Redmond (Ings 58′), Adams.
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