Leeds United are currently in excellent form, competing for the Championship’s top two and progressing to the fifth round of the FA Cup.
To be sure, Daniel Farke’s Whites struggled in Tuesday night’s fourth-round repeat, at least for the first 90 minutes.
However, Leeds took advantage of a tired Plymouth Argyle to score three goals in extra time and advance with a 4-1 victory.
Mateo Joseph made his Leeds debut after more than a year, and the 20-year-old did not disappoint.
According to Jonny Cooper, Joseph’s start against the Pilgrims marked his first for Leeds in 454 days.
This was the greatest interval between a player’s first two starts without leaving Leeds since Aaron Lennon’s 459-day absence from September 2003 to December 2004.
In the first half, Joseph latched onto a good ball into the area, beat his opponent, and took a shot toward goal, which Conor Hazard blocked.
And in the 55th minute of the game, the Leeds jewel twisted before having his low effort deflect slightly and go just wide of the post.
Joseph received an 8 out of 10 rating from Graham Smyth of the Yorkshire Evening Post, who said that he “put himself about, showed a good physical presence, held the ball up and threatened.” Unlucky not to find the net.”
While Wilfried Gnonto is the most well-known 20-year-old Leeds player, Joseph appears to have a promising future at Elland Road.
In January, he pledged his future to Leeds until the summer of 2028, and Farke evidently regards him highly.
Joseph has been named to multiple matchday teams and has appeared as a substitute on various occasions in recent weeks. Now he’s made his first start in 454 days.
Quite a few Leeds fans were excited to see Joseph start on Tuesday night, and no doubt many more will be if he gets more playing time in the coming months and years.
