Leeds United’s under-23s side followed in the footsteps of the first-team to thrash West Brom 5-0 away from home on Monday afternoon.
Victor Orta’s scouting and investment in youth this season has propelled Leeds to a class above the teams that they have been placed with this season in the Premier League 2 Division 2.
A number of youth internationals have joined the club and massively boosted the amount of talent knocking on the first-team door this season.
This was highlighted as Leeds managed a stunning 5-0 win over bottom-of-the-table West Brom on Monday, moving one step closer to promotion to PL2 Division 1.
It was a commanding performance from the league leaders, and here, we take a closer look at three of the players who impressed the most…
Joe Gelhardt
Where else to start than the hattrick hero?
Two of his strikes were from the penalty spot, which he dispatched with the confidence of a player clearly too good for the division he’s now the top scorer of.
However, along with the goal he grabbed from open play, every chance that came his way came in similar style.
He was the driving force of almost every Leeds attack and his direct attacking at the Baggies defence saw him barge his way into the penalty area at will.
Linking up with Sam Greenwood, he’s formed a dangerous partnership already and neat one-twos around the box were something that the home side just couldn’t keep up with.
11 goals and counting for Gelhardt now in the PL2 and it won’t be long before he gets his first-team debut, once safety is assured.
Crycensio Summerville
The Dutch winger took a while to settle in at Elland Road and that’s expected for someone of his age moving to a new country.
Since then, he hasn’t looked back and looks an incredibly dangerous winger from either flank.
Interestingly, he was deployed on the left wing against West Brom but to the same devastating effect as he won the penalty for the opening goal whilst notching his own from close range to make it 4-0 in the second half.
The 19-yeaer-old’s pace and agility was frightening at times, so couple that with his movement to get beyond the Baggies defence and you’ve got a player that’s going to create chances almost every time he gets towards the final third.
Leif Davis
One of the more household names of the under-23s comes third, as Davis finishes off the list of top performers.
Defensively, Leeds weren’t ever tested by the home side and it was more an exercise of how well they could go through the motions in attack to break down a side looking to keep the scoreline down.
We know already that Davis has got ability at both ends of the pitch and can cope at Premier League level in doing so, and he looked a class above too on the left side.
Linking up with Summerville, the two demonstrated a very similar partnership to what we’ve seen from Raphinha and Luke Ayling, with their play together very much complimenting the other.
He was also not far off getting a goal of his own when the ball dropped to him on the edge of the box, for him to strike in a crowded area, similar to Gjanni Alioski’s stunner at the Hawthorns.
Also, this outstanding moment of pettiness after Gelhardt sealed his hattrick is worth a mention: