‘A bit of Messi’: BBC Sport pundit wowed by Leeds player against Everton

Tue 30 August 2022 21:48, UK Updated Tue 30 August 2022 22:12, UK

BBC Sport pundit Stephen Warnock praised Leeds United youngster Joe Gelhardt during Tuesday night’s Premier League match at Elland Road.

The Whites took on Everton, hoping to bounce back from their defeat at Brighton on Saturday.

However, things didn’t go well for Leeds early on, as the Toffees broke the deadlock on 17 minutes.

Anthony Gordon raced onto Alex Iwobi’s through-ball and rolled it past Illan Meslier for Everton’s opener.

Gelhardt had to come on just before the half-hour mark as a replacement for the injured Rodrigo Moreno.

Leeds failed to get a shot on target in the first half, but came out with more energy after the interval.

And on 55 minutes, Luis Sinisterra grabbed his first Premier League goal to draw the Whites level.

The Colombian picked the ball up from Brenden Aaronson’s driving run and had a go from outside the box.

Sinisterra’s low strike from outside the box wrong-footed Pickford to bring Leeds level.

Warnock, speaking on Radio 5 Live, lauded Gelhardt for the run he made in the build-up.

“Sinisterra will get all the congratulations, but Gelhardt plays a huge role,” he said ().

“He makes the run that pulls the defenders away, and Sinisterra drives into the bottom corner.

“Pickford is wrong footed, Tarkowski is in his vision and he can’t see where the ball is.”

Later on, Mateusz Klich set Gelhardt up in the box. He took a touch but flashed his shot just wide.

Warnock once again praised the youngster, saying (21:29): “It was a bit of Messi from Gelhardt.

“But Patterson does well, getting close so he can only put it past the post.”

Marsch then took Gelhardt off in the final 15 minutes of the game.

Warnock said (21:38): “I’m not surprised Gelhardt has come off, he has run himself into the ground. He was key in the goal.”

Leeds ended up playing out a 1-1 draw with Everton, a result which saw the Whites go up to fifth in the table.

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