Highlights
- Leeds United bounced back in style after the international break, securing a 3-0 victory over Millwall and kickstarting their campaign for promotion.
- Joel Piroe was the standout player in the match, impressing both fans and pundits with his clinical style and two-goal performance.
- Piroe has been a key player for Leeds this season, scoring three goals in as many games since joining the club from Swansea City in the summer transfer window.
Prior to the international break, Leeds United very much bared the look of a side who had just lost key players such as Luis Sinisterra, and Rodrigo, whilst also attempting to get going under a new manager in the form of Daniel Farke.
In four games, they won just once, which came in dramatic fashion against Ipwich Town, with Leeds’ form suggesting anything but a side ready to secure promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
Using the break to their advantage, however, the Yorkshire club bounced back in style, with pundit Jobi McAnuff singling out one particular impressive player for praise after Leeds defeated Millwall 3-0 at The Den.
What has Jobi McAnuff said?
It may have taken Leeds a while to get going this season, but those at Elland Road will hope that their victory over Millwall will kickstart their campaign. It wasn’t as routine as the end score suggests, either, with the visitors facing scares of their own in the opening period, before hitting the London club on the break in clinical style, allowing Joel Piroe to give his side the lead.
Things then got even better late on in the second-half, when Piroe found his second of the afternoon, and Georginio Rutter rounded off an impressive outing from the Whites.
It was Piroe who rightly received plenty of praise from McAnuff, who said, via Leeds United News: “He’s a class apart at this level. I’m actually surprised no Premier League clubs came in for him. Absolutely top drawer.”
The former Crystal Palace player is not wrong, either, as proved further by the fact that no player has scored more goals than Piroe’s 44 in the Championship since the start of the 2021/22 season. With that said, it’s clear that Leeds have got some player on their hands.
How has Joel Piroe performed this season?
Since making the move from Swansea City during the summer transfer window for a deal reportedly worth over £10m, Piroe has predictably hit the ground running, scoring three goals in as many games for the club.
The Dutchman will be hoping to extend that good start for as long as possible, too, having netted 19 goals for Swansea City in the Championship last season. With his goals, Leeds may just find themselves in the conversation for promotion come the end of the current campaign.
At his best, Piroe has earned plenty of praise, including from former manager Russell Martin, who said, via FourFourTwo:
“I had a chat with Joel after his first week with us because he wasn’t used to the intensity we were asking of him. Since then he has worked really hard to earn his opportunity and took it brilliantly with a great goal. He is good technically and an excellent athlete, so I am sure there is a lot more to come from him.”
With that said, Farke has certainly got a much-needed talisman in the form of Piroe, and will now have an eye on the play-off places or, potentially, even more in England’s second tier.