Karl Darlow: Stats vs Manchester United prove Leeds United must shelve goalkeeper signing plans
Karl Darlow was one of Leeds United’s standout players on Monday as they achieved a sensational 2-1 victory against Manchester United.
Daniel Farke’s side were simply phenomenal, and could have easily won by more as they dismantled the hosts at Old Trafford.
However, while Leeds were peppering Man United’s goal, Michael Carrick’s side came close to rescuing a point many times.
Therefore, while players like Noak Okafor will rightly win praise for their displays, Darlow deserves credit for ensuring the three points came home.
As a result, Leeds should look to end their transfer plans to sign a new goalkeeper, with the Wales international clearly good enough to keep the number one spot.
Karl Darlow was fantastic vs Man United
Going into the match, Darlow was already in fine form for Leeds United.
In his past two fixtures, he kept two clean sheets, which earned the Peacocks vital points against both Crystal Palace and Brentford.
| Karl Darlow's stats vs Man United | |
| Minutes | 90 |
| Goals conceded | 1 |
| Saves | 6 |
| Goals prevented | 0.80 |
| Passing accuracy | 54% |
However, his match against Man United truly saw him shine.
The goalkeeper made multiple key stops, including a sensational save to keep Benjamin Sesko out early in the second half.
This continued until the final whistle, with the 35-year-old making six saves overall, and was highly unfortunate not to keep a clean sheet.
Considering the quality of the stops and how big the game was, any plans for Leeds to sign a new goalkeeper in the summer transfer window should be shelved, as Darlow has clearly done enough to keep the number one spot for another season.
Will Darlow sign a new contract at Leeds United?
Former Man United chief scout Mick Brown exclusively told Football Insider that Darlow is happy at Leeds and could extend his stay regardless of their summer plans.
Currently, the goalkeeper is out-of-contract in the summer and is set to leave Elland Road as it stands in a few months.
However, given his form and the fact that both parties appear satisfied, it is hard to see this reality coming about.
Hopefully, in the next few weeks, a contract will be put forward, and Darlow can celebrate a new deal alongside Leeds’ survival in the Premier League in what has been a successful campaign to date.