Leeds United flex unique advantage as run survives standing eight count at Watford — Joe Donnohue's Verdict — YEP 30/3/24

Leeds United came painstakingly close to losing their unbeaten run at Watford on Good Friday, but they’re sticking it out and still standing after a late equaliser from substitute Mateo Joseph.

By Joe Donnohue

Daniel Farke’s depleted squad sparred with the Hornets at Vicarage Road, coming away with a ‘priceless point’, despite missing three of their big-hitters.

Willy Gnonto, Ilia Gruev and Connor Roberts were conspicuous by their absence as Leeds disembarked the team coach on Friday evening. The trio sustained injuries during the international break and ahead of kick-off Farke had bad news to share, that for at least two, it would be three weeks until their next bout in a United shirt.

Upon arriving at Elland Road, Roberts told the media assembled for his unveiling that he - a rugby boy at heart - was always keen for a scrap, or words to that effect. At Vicarage Road, Leeds could have done with the Welshman’s brusque approach as Ryan Porteous, Mattie Pollock and Francisco Sierralta rag-dolled an isolated Patrick Bamford during the first 45 minutes, while a heavyweight front-line of Emmanuel Dennis and Vakoun Bayo both found themselves on the scoresheet by half time, capitalising on instances where Leeds were simply outmuscled.

Watford started the brighter, controlling the territory, if not always the possession. Under the caretaker management of coaching novice Tom Cleverley, the Hornets buzzed in Leeds’ faces, much like a side who had not been separated for the best part of two weeks, pollinating football stadia as far as Peru and Azerbaijan.

Farke had been unable to train with more than six or seven players during Leeds’ international break, promoting 17-year-old Charlie Crew to senior training and subsequently the matchday squad, as United prepared to face Watford whose first-half performance was a reminder that ‘new manager bounce’ is very much alive and well.

Scottish centre-half Porteous made clear his intentions from the get-go, enthusiastically clearing any and all 50:50s he contested, man and ball, before body-checking an emotionally bruised Dan James as Leeds threatened to break forth after withstanding a pugnacious opening ten minutes and finding some rhythm of their own.

It was Leeds’ centre-back pairing that proved the biggest talking point, certainly by half-time at least. Farke decided - or was forced, as he insisted post-match - to break up the airtight partnership of Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu, in favour of deploying the latter in the ‘deep six’ position due to Gruev’s absence. Liam Cooper returned to the lineup but after limited involvement, patchy injury history and a 90-minute run-out for Scotland in midweek, it presented Farke with a far from ideal scenario, he said. Many deemed Leeds’ second concession to be the fault of United's long-serving skipper, but blame for the first lay mainly at Sam Byram’s door.

Returning to the team at left-back, Byram was shunted off the ball, losing possession close to halfway, allowing Watford to switch the play and hit Leeds where it hurt. Jamal Lewis careered down the flank, crossed for Dennis who would have scored if not for Illan Meslier springing to his left to deny the Nigerian. Unfortunately for the Leeds stopper, yet to concede a Championship goal from open play in 2024, Bayo was on hand to volley home the rebound.

Doubtless, Bayo’s opener must have felt like an uppercut to Leeds’ chin which prior to the international break had took on the appearance of marble, rather than flesh. Leeds’ casualties to the international fixtures meant that resolve had been chipped away at, cracks forming as players were shuffled to-and-fro to accommodate a trio of important losses.

It proved to be a tale of two breaks, though, as a reinvigorated Crysencio Summerville soon had something to say about Leeds’ bounce-back-ability. He had threatened already once during the first half, with a duck and a weave, to bend one into the far corner, but was thwarted by Daniel Bachmann, his guard firmly up. But the goalkeeper was powerless to stop Summerville’s second such attempt, restoring parity with an excellent curling strike from the edge of Watford’s penalty area.

Before long, though, and Leeds were back on the canvas, quite literally. Cooper rose for an aerial ball but found himself left on the turf as Watford took the ball and drove to the penalty area. The skipper at least recovered ground, only after speculatively appealing for offside, but was on the back foot by the time Dennis was lining up a left-footed effort destined for the bottom corner.

Half time and noses were bloodied but Leeds were not beaten. Farke stuck with his starting XI for the second forty-five but after a quarter of an hour, swapped Cooper for Junior Firpo, returning Ampadu to central defence. Having flown out of the traps, Watford gradually began to tire, their pressing less intense, the Hornets’ sting less potent with Dennis’ withdrawal. Leeds tested their range, delivering body shots, but an eye-watering blow remained lacking.

A late double change saw the introduction of Mateo Joseph and Jaidon Anthony. Twenty-five seconds after stepping foot onto the pitch, Joseph floated into the box and jabbed home Summerville’s cross, cleverly dummied by Firpo on the underlap. Leeds would win the final round on points, probing for the knockout blow that would ensure their record in 2024 read 13-1-0, but ultimately it did not come.

Farke’s men hardly looked the prizefighters they’ve come to resemble in recent weeks, but training for this particular contest was far from optimal. As results go, a point on the road clinched at the death to maintain momentum in the midst of a title race, is no bad thing.

Because this is the Championship, there are not seven cup finals that lay ahead, but seven tussles, seven slog-fests, seven brawls. Watford was ugly but when titles are on the line, aesthetics matter not. Seven to go and Leeds have a unique advantage in the white corner - their trainer has won this belt twice before.