Youngster's big moment, plan C and telling Leeds United chant - off-camera moments at Liverpool - YEP 24/2/22

The scoreline from Wednesday night's clash between Leeds United and Liverpool spoke volumes - but there were several other moments of note from the midweek fixture at Anfield.

By Lee Sobot

After seeing Marcelo Bielsa's Whites blitzed 6-0 by Jurgen Klopp's Reds, the YEP's Lee Sobot takes a look at a few off-camera moments as well as who had a particularly bad day and anyone who had a good day for the Whites.

Good day - Joe Gelhardt

It's clutching at straws to suggest that anybody from the Leeds contingent could have had a good day when a contest ended in a 6-0 hiding but 19-year-old striker Joe Gelhardt was at least handed over half an hour from the bench - and against the team he supports.

There has not surprisingly been a continued clamour for 'Joffy' to be given more minutes, especially after being an unused substitute in the 3-0 defeat at Everton in which Tyler Roberts was instead introduced as the next striker option from the bench.

Roberts was again introduced first at Anfield as one of two substitutions at half-time in addition to Jamie Shackleton but Gelhardt finally got on 16 minutes later and quickly had an impact in setting up a couple of chances before Liverpool regathered momentum to net three more.

The bar set by Leeds was not exactly high but Gelhardt once again advertised his claims to play a more prominent role and already looks worth starting considering the combination of his obvious talent and how United are currently faring without Patrick Bamford.

Bad day - Marcelo Bielsa

When it's good it's great but when it goes wrong it can be a disaster and Leeds were just far too open against a rampant Reds side who were always likely to fill their boots if United could not execute their plan to perfection.

Bielsa's plan B is always to make plan A better but Leeds continually gave the ball away and were just far too open facing such a dangerous side who could and should have had double figures.

Results and performances such as last season's incredible success at Manchester City cannot be forgotten but United's injuries are a different ball game this time around and moreover there has been a regression and not progression in their football.

Wednesday's clash at Anfield always looked hugely dangerous from a Leeds point of view and that's exactly how it proved.

On this occasion at least, it's very hard not to think that a different approach would have been better. A plan C as it were.

Off-camera moments

Wednesday's fixture proved absolutely no contest on the pitch but that wasn't the case in the stands and United's away fans were undoubtedly Whites man of the match.

Sadly that doesn't produce any points but the Leeds contingent kept on singing and supporting their side all night, even faced with a 6-0 drubbing.

Before the game had even kicked off, their two loud interruptions of Liverpool's You'll Never Walk Alone anthem with We Are Leeds and Marching On Together chants were highlights, as was their response when Raphinha's shot was saved by Alisson in the 66th minute.

The effort represented United's first of just two attempts at goal and was greeted by a chant of 'du du du du, shot on target' to the same tune of the Patrick Bamford chant.

Later on, former Whites star James Milner was then serenaded with a 'you're Leeds and you know you are' chant as he warmed up before coming on as a 77th-minute sub.

But the night clearly belonged to title-chasing Liverpool who might well win the league and the Reds have another very classy player on their hands in Luis Diaz who was superb, particularly in the first half.

It must also be remembered that both Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino were out injured and Klopp's delight at the end was obvious, the German treating the Kop to seven fist bumps as United's players trudged off down the tunnel.