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Ethan Ampadu has been Leeds United for three years, let’s keep it that way — Square Ball 13/5/26

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O captain, my captain Words by: Chris McMenamy The English media’s inability to understand what makes Leeds United tick meant that many, if not all, predicted a straightforward home win for Tottenham against a side that had already secured safety without kicking a ball. So imagine their surprise when, with more than an hour played and Spurs leading 1-0, United captain Ethan Ampadu came flying into the opposition penalty area and took an overhead kick to the forehead from Mathys Tel. His team were meant to be on the beach, not in North London trying to ruin Spurs’ season for no reason other than personal pride. Nobody could believe what they were seeing, including the officials who spent four minutes replaying to see if Tel had kicked Ampadu in the head and, if so, why? If this is the length that Leeds United’s number four would go to just to earn a ‘meaningless’ point, there’s no telling what might happen when there’s something on the line. The captain’s role in modern footba...
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Analysis: Leeds United's Tottenham Hotspur draw showed a squad needing to catch up with new realities — Yorkshire Post 13/5/26

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By Stuart Rayner Even in a "dead" game, there should always be important information to glean. Leeds United's 1-1 draw at Tottenham Hotspur showed their squad is not fit for its new purpose. November's game at Manchester City was a turning point not just in their season, but their whole course. Daniel James and Willy Gnonto were substituted at half-time as the Whites changed from 4-3-3 to 3-5-2. The team has not looked back since, but both have found themselves without a job to do. Two injuries, to Gabriel Gudmundsson and Jayden Bogle, left them scraping the barrel in a match which was only a different result or two out of 35 from being crucial. James and Gnonto are wingers at a club which no longer does wingers. Both have played for their countries at centre-forward, but manager Daniel Farke is not keen on either there. Gnonto started Farke's first Leeds game as a No 9, never to return. James has not played there for him. James is a good player now ...
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Joe Rodon fulfils Leeds United goal after three years despite one 'frustration' this season — Leeds Live 13/5/26

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The defender had a goal when he first joined Leeds United in 2023 Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter Joe Rodon says Leeds United have enjoyed an "unbelievable" two years and is pleased with how his season has gone on a personal level. Speaking to LeedsLive last summer, ahead of the season, Rodon said he felt he had a point to prove having been unable to earn regular Premier League minutes at former club Tottenham Hotspur. Monday night saw him help Leeds secure a 1-1 draw at former club Spurs with United’s safety already sealed, unlike that of the hosts. Being able to reflect on his season now Leeds are officially staying up, Rodon identifies what he has - and has not - liked about his personal campaign. “I think there’s obviously a little bit of frustration with the slight setbacks, with my ankle, but I think I’ve been stable, I've enjoyed it a lot,” he told reporters. “Obviously, we have changed system, played completely different positions, but I think that...
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Tottenham 1-1 Leeds United: Why stop now? — Square Ball 12/5/26

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Bag of cans? Written by: Rob Conlon Ethan Ampadu had every right to lead his team out of the tunnel at Tottenham with each player swigging the last remnants from a bag of cans. This season has been all about Leeds United staying in the Premier League and with three games to go they’d done it. It has been a three-season slog to get to this point and not once have Leeds been allowed to relent. At last, they’ve been blessed with three weeks to put their feet up and relax. No pressure. Nothing to play for. Get on the beach, lads. You’ve earned it. But that’s not this team’s style. Why stop now when there are still a few more noses there to be bloodied? For weeks everyone in Leeds has been reading and listening to fans and pundits insisting this was a nailed on win for a Spurs team that has won two league games at home all season, and none since December. Enter Leeds United in our most devilish of end of season moods: we’re only here to spoil yer party. Dovetailing with Daniel Farke...
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Leeds United reunions, flip flop theft, pre-game fire and off-camera Spurs moments — YEP 12/5/26

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By Graham Smyth Good day, bad day and moments missed from Leeds United's 1-1 Premier League draw at Tottenham. Leeds United are unbeaten in the Premier League since the start of March and unbeaten in away league games since January, so a draw at Spurs was no surprise. The Whites were not at their best in possession for much of the 1-1 stalemate at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, yet as they have so often this season they dug out a result from somewhere. Here's the YEP take. Good day: Jaka Bijol. The big Slovenian loves to see a cross coming. Much of what Spurs tried to do was meat and drink to Bijol and he feasted on crosses all night. But there was still some guile to his performance on the ball. A warrior who can pass it. Good day: Ethan Ampadu. Played like a man who either has a dislike for Spurs or a desperate thirst for points. His body language even before the game suggested he was well up for this one, before he went snarling and snapping into the match. Argued th...
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'Gone to ground too easily' — Ex-referee's verdict on penalty call in Leeds United's draw at Tottenham Hotspur — Yorkshire Post 12/5/26

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By Tom Coates A former Premier League referee’s view on a penalty call in Leeds United's draw at Tottenham Hotspur Jarred Gillett was right to deny Tottenham Hotspur a penalty in the dying embers of their 1-1 draw with Leeds United, according to ex-Premier League referee Keith Hackett. The game was a dead rubber for Leeds, who had seen their safety secured by West Ham United’s defeat to Arsenal a day earlier. However, it was huge for Tottenham with relegation from the top flight still a possibility for the North London club. Mathys Tel fired Spurs ahead last night (May 11) but saw his stunning effort cancelled out by Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s penalty. Ex-referee’s verdict on penalty controversy The home side felt they should have been given a penalty in stoppage time, when James Maddison went down in the box under close attention from Lukas Nmecha. Spurs players protested but Gillett decided against pointing to the spot, a decision that was quickly backed up by VAR (vid...
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Tottenham v Leeds LIVE: Why two pivotal moments went against Spurs in relegation battle — Independent 12/5/26

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Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Leeds: Mathys Tel scored a stunning goal but then conceded a second-half penalty, with James Maddison denied one at the death, to leave Spurs just two points above the relegation zone after a dramatic clash Miguel Delaney at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium & Flo Clifford Roberto De Zerbi expects Tottenham relegation fight to go down to last minute Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi believes the officials “suffered the pressure” following VAR controversy in the West Ham-Arsenal game after Spurs dropped crucial points against Leeds in the battle for Premier League survival. De Zebri felt the referee Jarred Gillet was “not calm” during the 1-1 draw at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which featured yet more drama a day after West Ham saw a last-minute equaliser ruled out in the “biggest decision in VAR history”. After giving Spurs the lead with a fine finish, Mathys Tel’s attempted overhead kick clearance struck Leeds captain Ethan Ampadu in the face, with Domi...
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