Leeds United handed boost as ‘genuinely class’ star confirms his commitment to the club - YEP 4/8/23

Bradford Telegraph and Argus 7/2/11
South African grabs decider as Leeds find winning formula
By John Wray
Leeds United 1, Coventry City 0

Leeds goal hero Davide Somma has set himself a double target for the season – 20 goals and automatic promotion to the Premier League.
Whoever chose to put Somma’s picture on the front page of the match-day programme must have been clairvoyant as the South Africa striker scored the game’s only goal – his fourth in as many league games and his 11th of the season.
Somma, who is on international duty against Kenya in Johannesburg this week, has had to be content with substitute duty for much of the season, manager Simon Grayson preferring a system with Luciano Becchio as the lone striker.
But Somma partnered Becchio up front in the 2-2 draw at Hull and kept his place against Coventry as Grayson again adopted a 4-4-2 formation.
“We have been drawing a lot of games so it was a relief to get the win,” said Somma.
“The season is going like a dream come true for me. I hope I can finish with 20 goals. There are enough games left, so we will see, but I just want us to pick up as many points as we can. We are fighting to finish in the top two and win back-to-back promotions.”
Wingers Robert Snodgrass and Max Gradel turned on the style as United collected only their second win in ten matches and climbed to fifth place.
Snodgrass, who hopes to make his Scotland debut against Northern Ireland on Wednesday night, ran himself into the ground, while Gradel gave Coventry’s teenage right back Jordan Clarke a torrid time and helped to set up Somma’s 56th-minute winner.
Somma said: “The wingers are working the hardest for the team. They are the ones who are going to create the goals.”
United kept the side which hit back from two goals down to draw at Hull, with Sanchez Watt still ruled out by a hamstring injury.
Coventry, without a league win since early December, had taken just one point at Elland Road since 1996 and the drought continued.
With Westwood, Eastwood and Wood in their starting line-up, it was tempting to describe the visitors as wooden, Leeds creating and squandering four excellent chances in the opening 28 minutes with Becchio and Gradel the culprits.
To be fair to Gradel, he set up his own opportunities with slick footwork leaving poor Clarke mesmerised. But Becchio should have made contact with a fine cross by Snodgrass and the Argentinian striker somehow contrived to miss the target from six yards after a sweeping length-of-the-field move started by goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and carried on by Becchio, Gradel and George McCartney.
Coventry had little to offer in attack during the first half, although Richard Wood’s deflected shot as early as the eighth minute was not far wide of the mark. The interval arrived goalless despite the considerable efforts of Snodgrass, whose energy output was exceptional.
Coventry were more adventurous after the break but Leeds continued to threaten down the flanks and when Gradel once again got past the hapless Clarke, the winger found Jonny Howson beyond the far post and United’s captain planted the ball into the six-yard area for Somma to apply the finish.
Keiren Westwood’s full-length save denied Snodgrass the goal his enterprise deserved but United rode their luck in the 65th minute when Lucas Jutkiewicz fired wide with only Schmeichel to beat.
Somma’s lobbed ‘goal’ was rightly disallowed for offside and after Neil Kilkenny left the bench for his first action since helping Australia to runners-up spot in the Asia Cup, Clarke finally took out his considerable frustration on Gradel and was booked for a scything tackle.
Becchio left the field in the 88th minute with his head bandaged from an earlier injury and United were indebted to Schmeichel for a desperate save when Clive Platt’s angled shot deflected off Alex Bruce just in front of the Leeds keeper.
Referee Mick Russell ordered five minutes of added time and Snodgrass was desperately unlucky to see his deflected shot clear the bar by inches.
Grayson said: “Our two wide players were exceptional. We had to battle and scrap for the points and we kept a clean sheet, which was pleasing.
“Davide was in the right place at the right time again. His ratio of goals to starts is phenomenal.”