Leeds United staff member's gift, Gnonto confusion, fan ejection and off-cam Blackburn moments — YEP 10/12/23

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Leeds United are rolling with three straight wins and seven games without a defeat, thanks to their hard-fought 2-0 victory at Blackburn Rovers.

By Graham Smyth

Though Daniel Farke and the Whites did not have things all their own way at Ewood Park, it was a ruthless performance in front of a huge swathe of away fans, Daniel James and Crysencio Summerville adding clinical finishes to counter attacks. The clean sheet was deserved and it delighted Farke, because there haven't been too many of late. Here's the YEP take and what you might have missed.

Good day

Pascal Struijk: Came roaring back from a shaky performance to put in one of his better ones. Looked on it right from the very start and never really wavered despite the difficulty posed by Rovers' attacking players. Looked very composed next to Joe Rodon, who also had an excellent game.

Bad day

Northern Rail: Who could have predicted that there would be hundreds upon hundreds of Leeds fans trying to get on the delayed 8:57 to Blackburn? Uncomfortable at best, it felt dangerously packed at times. The real victims were those at stops like New Pudsey who couldn't even get on and had to hope the next train could accommodate them.

Off-camera

During: Farke's chat with Ampadu midway through the first half. A fight breaking out in the Riverside Stand, near to the away end, as stewards and police bundled someone out. Farke barking at Summerville to get back after he dribbled the ball out of play and then wandered back onto the pitch but didn't drop in to defend. Rutter taking his time to come off at the break, trudging off perhaps partly through tiredness and partly through frustration at not having scored. Gnonto's look of confusion when his number went up - he was even announced as coming off over the public address system, but it was Rutter who made way for Mateo Joseph. Spence lagging behind the play, trotting back towards his position, more than once during his substitute cameo.

After: Farke's post-match chat with Gray on the pitch at full-time, before the youngster swapped shirts with Adam Wharton, the pair being England under-20s teammates. Meslier and Rutter competing for the fans' attention with their respective fist pumps and waves, the latter cheekily stealing his compatriot's thunder. Every Leeds player being back down the tunnel but Farke still having a debrief with Spence in the middle, which ended with a kiss for the substitute, before doing his wave with the fans. The manager later referred to situations where Spence could have hastened back to defend having gone forward to attack, in his press conference, suggesting that formed part of their chat. Eddie Gray dishing out the festive well wishes to security staff. Blackburn man Semir Telalović, who was at Borussia Mönchengladbach last season, presenting Leeds fitness coach Chris Domogalla with a shirt as they caught up after the game.

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