So Leeds’ march to the Premier League is gathering some real momentum now.
Marcelo Bielsa’s side headed into the clash against Huddersfield on Saturday on the back of four successive victories in the Championship, and all without conceding a single goal.
And after a goal straight out of the top drawer from Luke Ayling in the third minute of the game, the Whites looked as comfortable as ever, eventually sealing a 2-0 win thanks to a strike from Patrick Bamford.
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But whilst Ayling may be the man grabbing all the post-match headlines for his wonder strike, Stuart Dallas was arguably the unsung hero against the Terriers.
The 28-year-old has been one of Bielsa’s more reliable performers this season, featuring in 38 games across all competitions, and playing a whole variety of positions. On Saturday, he was once again at left-back, and he put on a real defensive masterclass.
As per Sofascore, out of the 18 total duels that he contested, he won an impressive 11 of them – by far and away the most of any Leeds player on the pitch. And whilst he showed his strength in the 50/50s, he also showed he could put his foot in too.
He made three tackles (another team-high), three interceptions, one clearance and blocked one shot too. By whilst he also looked imperious from a defensive point of view, Dallas also contributed going forward. He provided one key pass, and had 79 touches of the ball, with only Ayling and Pablo Hernandez enjoying more.
As Leeds look to make their return to the riches of the Premier League, they are going to need players like Dallas to keep consistently producing. Goal-scorers are naturally going to take most of the limelight, but the real unsung heroes are the ones who put in impressive performances whilst going under the radar.
And Dallas was exactly that on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Leeds fans rave about this ace’s display.