Leeds star was ‘one of the best in the PL’ but now he could be dropped

Leeds United must win their next Premier League clash at Nottingham Forest or the Whites will be plunged further into relegation trouble.

Indeed, Daniel Farke’s men now find themselves in a precarious situation above the drop zone after a pitiful 3-0 defeat at the hands of Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday, with the five-point gap between them and Forest reduced to just two points if Sean Dyche’s side get the better of the West Yorkshire outfit.

To further add to the worry, Dyche also has six career wins as manager against the Whites, with Leeds also without a win – and without a goal – on the road since a 3-1 success against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Farke will need to see an immediate reaction following that devastating defeat on the south coast, with several of his summer signings potentially abandoned, despite many positive starts, away from defeat at the Amex.

Why Leeds’ summer business must be questioned

Across all ranks, not a single player was able to come off following the 3-0 defeat to Fabian Hurzeler’s Seagulls, satisfied with their efforts.

Even their marquee signing, Noah Okafor, is not immune to criticism.

The tricky number 19 did his best to unblock a stern home side with five successful dribbles. But ex-Leeds player Jon Newsome harshly labeled the ex-AC Milan winger a “passenger” because of how easily he can give up the ball, and that was the case again against Hurzeler’s hosts when they gave away possession 19 times.

Additionally, Dominic Calvert-Lewin could also find himself at the top after another goalless draw passed him by, with just one goal still next to his name since leaving Everton in the summer. He arguably has to be the most questionable signing of the summer, even if he arrived on a free transfer.

Centre-back Jaka Bijol may also be forced to sit out after a two-game spell in the first team, with Pascal Struijk perhaps the most logical replacement, as the £15m summer signing failed to win a single tackle and duel, as Brighton ran the away team in despair all afternoon.

Despite the blistering nature of the hosts, Bijol and the rest of the back line made it very easy for Diego Gomez to deliver his double, when he found himself in acres of space to score his first effort of the day for 2-0.

Farke could therefore really make changes for the decider at Forest, with a summer signing also at risk of being left out of the German’s starting XI.

The bold choice Farke could make

It hasn’t been an exclusively disastrous season in West Yorkshire, with some positive performances that could see Farke and Co. beat the decline.

The 3-1 away win over Wolves, in particular, saw everything click into place as new signings Anton Stach, Calvert-Lewin and Okafor all featured among the goals.

Gabriel Gudmundsson also produced a superb effort against Old Gold, now without a manager, having joined Lille in July.

Indeed, Leeds-based social media account The Leeds Press hailed the Swede as an asset who “gives it his all” following Wolves’ victory, as evidenced by the fact he recorded eight clearances and won three duels to keep hosts Molineux at bay.

Also averaging 3.5 ball recoveries in his ten Premier League games, plus two big chances created, it was as if Leeds had hit the jackpot on a perfect replacement for Junior Firpo on the left flank.

Journalist James Marshment even boldly declared at the end of September that he was “one of the best left-backs in the Premier League this season.” At just £10million, he had certainly proven to be a bargain.

Unfortunately for the Swedish regular, he put on a horror show on the South Coast, as a quick Yankuba Minteh had him on his toes all match.

The strong, resilient full-back who had bounced back in style from his own goal at Fulham was nowhere to be found against the Seagulls.

He was twice dribbled past as a weak member of Farke’s defense, as well as also being the victim of an Okafor-like display, with possession being given up 16 times.

James Justin could therefore well get the green light to replace Gudmundsson at the City Ground.

This is unlikely to be the only change as Farke attempts to pick a refreshed squad that can put an end to Leeds’ chaotic offerings on the road.