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2 Leeds United players Jesse Marsch is in debt to following 1-1 draw with Brighton 

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Leeds United fought back to earn a draw at home to Brighton on Sunday, moving up to 17th in the process.

Leeds had a chance to end their run of three straight defeats as they welcomed Graham Potter’s Brighton to Elland Road on Sunday.

However, they weren’t off to the greatest start when Danny Welbeck chipped Illan Meslier midway through the second half to give the visitors a deserved lead.

After half-time though, Leeds looked a different side and were well on top, eventually getting their goal in stoppage time through Pascal Struijk.

As the dust settles on a positive weekend for the Whites, we look at two players who Jesse Marsch will have plenty of thanks for from this game…

Joe Gelhardt

Where to start?

At 20-years-old, he was the best player on the pitch and the only Leeds attacker looking to make things happen any time he was involved.

In what was a drab first half, he managed two shots and should have scored in the second minute when he followed up a goalmouth scramble at a corner, only for Liam Cooper’s head to block it on the line.

Gelhardt remained positive and his influence remained vital as Leeds established control, doing the work of two strikers as Rodrigo failed to muster anything meaningful.

It culminated in some truly unbelievable play to set up the equaliser, when Diego Llorente picked him out with a composed pass to the far side of the penalty area, for him to be halted by Lewis Dunk.

His response was to feint, bringing the centre-back to his knees, to then flick the ball over him and cross to a waiting Struijk.

The composure he has shown to create these chances so late, so often is seldom seen with players of his age.

He simply has to be a starter from now on.

Should Gelhardt be guaranteed to start now?

Yes

Yes

No

No

Pascal Struijk

Struijk only came on in the second half at left-back, but as mentioned above, it was his impact that may have salvaged Leeds’ season.

It wasn’t a substitution that made an awful lot of sense at the time, bringing him on for Junior Firpo, who was one of our best outlets in possession in the second half, getting a lot more joy from the game than he has in most this season.

However, after struggling to really get on the ball in his first eight minutes, he chipped in with the biggest moment of his Leeds career so far.

Hanging at the back post, Struijk waited for Gelhardt to get in position to cross, stopping high above Tariq Lamptey and heading over the goal line as the Brighton defenders attempted to clear it away from goal.

Struijk hasn’t been at his best lately as he’s struggled for regular starts under Marsch, but he’s rarely ever let the side down and has once again shown that he was a worthy inclusion in the side.

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Leeds United season ticket holder since 2013/14, currently situated in the middle of the FA5 noise. From Pablo Hernandez to 5-1 drubbings, I've seen it all at Elland Road.