Leeds United reunions, flip flop theft, pre-game fire and off-camera Spurs moments — YEP 12/5/26

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 the toss with every Spurs player who had anything to say about anything. Won the penalty. Drove his team on to the end. Showed at full-time that he really, really wanted a positive result from this one.

Good day: Daniel Farke. Leeds weren't able to mark their mathematical safety on the day it was achieved because they didn't play. It would have been a shame for them to travel to London and lose. Instead they got to have their moment with the fans at full-time, celebrating a hard-earned but deserved point as well as Premier League status for next season. The German has done the job asked of him, with games to spare. And they show no signs of slowing down.

Bad day: Jarred Gillett. Referees have a very difficult job and VAR was introduced to help them. But it feels at times like referees now simply abdicate responsibility for certain incidents in the knowledge that VAR will make up their minds. The high boot on Ampadu was so blatant and so obvious, he had to spot it. But even if he didn't see a foul, he saw a player go down with an apparent head injury and he let play go on. Forget missing fouls, flailing reckless arms in faces or letting players away with yellow-card worthy challenges, even forget the time added on, on player safety alone his performance was poor.

Bad day: Archie Gray. The youngster would have dearly loved to get on the pitch against the club he grew up supporting. Perhaps it wasn't the right sort of game for him, though as we saw at Leeds he can be just about whatever player you want him to be, but regardless he was forced to maintain a watching brief.

Off-camera moments

Michael Bridges greeting some of the squad as they lined up on the touchline for their warm-up stretches.

Ethan Ampadu geeing up the starting outfield players as they moved into the various stages of their warm-ups, showing no signs of taking it easier with Leeds now safe.

The away end giving the players an especially loud ovation as they came over to do their last sprints before the warm-up finished.

Ao Tanaka tapping Anton Stach on the shoulder as the players huddled and making some tactical gesture about how they were to operate together.

Daniel Farke seeking an explanation on something from the fourth official just four minutes in, by which time the officials had barely had a decision to make.

Lukas Nmecha, who appears to know just about everyone in the Premier League, and Djed Spence having a lengthy chat on the touchline as they warmed up. Archie Gray shared a moment with Rhys Chadwick and Jayden Lienou too.

Fitness coach Chris Domogalla coming out from the dressing room at half-time to have words with Sam Byram, Sebastiaan Bornauw and Willy Gnonto.

James Justin shrugging his shoulders at the fourth official to indicate there was no doubt Leeds should get a penalty for the challenge on Ampadu.

Ampadu debating the decision with Richarlison behind the referee's back as he watched the monitor to see what VAR wanted him to see. The Leeds skipper took a lot of flak from home fans, despite the welt already forming on his head from Mathys Tel's high boot.

Sean Longstaff and Gray having one of those behind-the-hand conversations on the touchline while warming up.

Ampadu, sporting a cracking welt from that high boot, giving Joe Rodon some grief for nicking his number 4 crested flip flops and wearing them to the mixed zone for post-match interviews.