Exclusive: Whelan claims Leeds player has proved people wrong in ‘Difficult conditions’
Noel Whelan claims that Leeds United striker Eddie Nketiah proved people wrong with his first Championship start of the season.
The former Leeds hitman and lifelong fan at Elland Road, speaking exclusively to Football Insider assistant editor Russell Edge, says that the 20-year-old showed an impressive work ethic against Birmingham City on Sunday afternoon.
The Arsenal loanee led the line for Marcelo Bielsa in the absence of the injured Patrick Bamford, the youngster playing 81 minutes of the Whites’ dramatic 5-4 win.
Whelan says that the hard work shown by Nketiah will have proved some of his doubters wrong, insisting that the service from his teammates made it a difficult job up front.
Whelan told Football Insider: “It’s his first start, I think he worked hard, you could see that, he didn’t really have a lot to feed off in the first half, to be honest with you, some of the balls weren’t the best to him.
“Very just long, direct but but not with any kind of quality and it gave him a lot to do. When you’re playing a lone striker and not getting anything to feed off, or bring down or work with, it can be frustrating and disappointing.
“I can’t fault his work rate because I thought he was excellent – chasing, doing things that people thought he couldn’t do. He really put a shift in and considering it was his first start, away from home, difficult conditions, difficult pitch, I’ve got to say a big well done.
“I don’t think he let himself down or the side so I think everybody should be pleased with his performance, despite not scoring the goal he contributed elsewhere.”
Nketiah now has 17 appearances and five goals under his belt for Leeds, 15 of those outings coming in the Championship.
He has been linked with a move back to Arsenal this January after his lack of regular minutes under Bielsa.
In other Leeds United news, Alan Hutton has been left in awe of an “unbelievable” player who started against Birmingham.