Leeds United blow golden chance — Mail 5/9

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Leeds United blow golden chance after dominating in 1-1 draw at Brighton as Daniel Farke's men miss openings and Luka Vuskovic levels for Albion

By NICK SZCZEPANIK

Leeds United stay unbeaten this season but will be kicking themselves for not recording a first-ever win at the Amex after dominating the first hour of this game. Jayden Bogle became the first Leeds player to score at the Amex since 2012 after 14 minutes but Daniel Farke’s side missed a host of chances to add to their lead.

And after Brighton’s record signing, Luka Vuskovic, levelled after 71 minutes with his first goal for the club, the game swung entirely in the home side’s favour.

Where are Brighton’s goals coming from without Danny Welbeck?

Welbeck was last season’s top scorer with 13 goals and there were pre-season concerns that Brighton would struggle up top without him. Seven in opponents’ nets in the first two Premier League games, against Villa and Chelsea, appeared to allay those fears – but two of them were scored by opponents.

Canada striker Promise David, signed on loan from Union St Gilloise, is the nearest thing to a Welbeck replacement, but so far head coach Fabian Hurzeler has trusted either ex-Leeds man Georginio Rutter – injured today – or Greek teenager Babis Kostoulas, neither of whom is an out-and-out number nine.

Kostoulas produced one memorable dribble through the packed Leeds defence, only to spoil it with a weak finish, while David looked clumsy in a brief cameo.

Horses for courses?

Leeds had not won a Premier League game at the Amex in four previous attempts, nor scored on Brighton turf since November 2012. They had played more matches there without winning than at any other stadium in their history (P10 D 3 L 7). 34 different Leeds players had had shots at goal in eight visits since the 2013-14 season without scoring.

Bogle broke that duck after 14 minutes from just a few inches out and plenty about the rest of their performance suggested that this Leeds side has more about them than some previous versions.

James Trafford for England?

Leeds’ £40m outlay on Trafford makes the England hopeful the fourth-most expensive goalkeeper in history. The Leeds fans’ chant of “England’s number one” presumably matches his own ambitions.

An early punch when a catch looked on was unconvincing, but his parry of Diego Gomez’ powerful volley was safe enough and his distribution was eye-catching at times, one long pass sending Dominic Calvert-Lewin racing into space down the left.

But he is not the finished article; he was left looking for defenders to blame when Brighton’s Luka Vuskovic headed in a corner from a yard out.

Malick magic

The Ivorian made a sensational full Premier League debut for Brighton at Chelsea last weekend after loan spells at Sturm Graz and Swansea City, scoring with a sensational volley.

The 20-year-old midfielder has been compared to N’golo Kante and was voted man of the match against Leeds but was a surprise omission from Brighton’s 25-man UEFA Conference League squad on Friday. Boss Fabian Hurzeler has hinted that there might be ways that the neat and dynamic Yalcouye could still be squeezed in and on the evidence so far he must be hoping so.

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