Leeds United are back in Premier League action later this afternoon as they make the trip to the capital to face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
Jesse Marsch’s men head into kick-off only two points clear of Everton, who play Leicester City at the same time, and the relegation zone but the Yorkshire outfit can be buoyed by the fact that they have only lost to league leaders Manchester City across their last six outings.
That was last time out, where the Whites were thrashed 4-0 at Elland Road, though the Gunners will be no easy task as they are fighting it out with their arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur for a place inside the top four.
A victory for the visitors would also see them move three points clear of relegation rivals Burnley and that would seriously bolster their chances of survival with just five games to go after this weekend.
Marsch could also boost their safety bid by unleashing young striker Joe Gelhardt from the off down in north London today.
Leeds have rued the absence of last season’s top goalscorer Patrick Bamford (17) for the majority of the campaign but it’s been evident that the likes of Rodrigo and club-record signing Daniel James are not up to scratch as out-and-out central strikers.
The 20-year-old, however, could be a big threat against a side that hasn’t kept a clean sheet in any of their last six outings – and he has already proven himself against some of the best teams in this division.
For example, against Wednesday’s opposition – Chelsea – he scored his first professional goal for the club as he bullied his way past their backline in the game’s dying stages. He then scored the crucial winner in injury time against rock-bottom Norwich City.
Gelhardt has certainly caught the eye already, with Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp describing him as a “human wrecking ball,” he said:
“He’s like a human wrecking ball. I like him, he’s really exciting. He’s fast, he’s aggressive, he gets on the ball, he takes people on. Once he gets into the box, he loves it. That’s where he can do most of his damage.”
Meanwhile, according to The Athletic’s Phil Hay, he has been “banging on the door“, whilst LeedsLive reporter Beren Cross believes he looks “absolutely outrageous” and is a big talent indeed.
Arsenal have struggled to keep out the opposition since March 19th, conceding three goals to Crystal Palace, two to Brighton & Hove Albion and two to Chelsea in the last six games.
It’s clear that Gelhardt possesses the sort of skill set and ability to do serious damage to Mikel Arteta’s men, but it’s on Marsch to unleash him down in the capital this afternoon.
Forget James or Rodrigo, it’s the young striking sensation who must feature in the starting XI today. As a result, his presence could seriously bolster their survival bid.
AND in other news, Marsch dealt another setback ahead of Arsenal clash…
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