Mighty Leeds Weblog

A dazzling Crysencio Summerville hat-trick helped Leeds United Under 23s move four points clear of the Premier League 2 drop zone at Elland Road on Monday. By Flora Snelson The winger wowed the 4,768-strong home crowd with a third-minute screamer to give Leeds an early lead against fifth-placed Crystal Palace. A composed close-range finish by Stuart McKinstry was sandwiched between two further Summerville goals in the second half as Leeds put the result beyond doubt to earn precious points in the fight to stay in the PL2 Division One. Bringing Leeds points total to 26, the win sees United leapfrog Everton into 10th place and draw four points clear of 13th-placed Chelsea. Summerville gave United the lead in style with a peachy 16-yard striker which hit the top-right corner. The 20-year-old drifted in from the left and left fly from the edge of the box and there was little Palace 'keeper Joe Whitworth could do to stop it. Greenwood missed a gilt-edged chance to double the...

New boss Andy Taylor said his Leeds United under-23s had executed a plan to perfection in Tuesday night's victory against Manchester United, and saluted the mammoth Elland Road crowd. By Lee Sobot Former Whites loans manager Taylor is in interim charge of the Whites youngsters following former boss Mark Jackson's move to be part of Whites head coach Jesse Marsch's backroom team. Taylor's tenure began with a 1-1 draw at Mansfield Town in the Premier League Cup last week and United's youngsters then produced a superb performance in Taylor's first home game in charge against their Roses rivals at Elland Road. Manchester United's under-23s lined up at Elland Road sat fifth in the Premier League Two Division One table but fourth-bottom Leeds steamrollered the Red Devils as Stuart McKinstry, Max Dean and Archie Gray all bagged a goal apiece. The Whites youngsters were cheered on by a bumper crowd of 9,808 and Taylor was left with huge praise for both his...

Liam Cooper may be captaining players half his age at Leeds United but the job is a simple one. By Graham Smyth Substitute for the recent Arsenal game Archie Gray was born in March 2006, by which time a 14-year-old Cooper was already on the books at Hull City. Gray, 15, is the most extreme case of the young blood in Marcelo Bielsa’s squad and a dressing room led by Cooper but the youthful element is sizeable. Joe Gelhardt, 19, has made his senior breakthrough this season and already provided memorable moments for Whites supporters, winning a crucial penalty against Wolves and scoring a fine goal away at Chelsea. He led the line from the start at home to Arsenal, racking up his sixth Premier League appearance, and earned another penalty when he drew ex-Whites loanee Ben White into a rash challenge. Gelhardt is the most spoken about of Mark Jackson’s Under-23s at present but his fellow 19-year-olds Charlie Cresswell, Sam Greenwood and Stuart McKinstry have all seen Premier Le...