Leeds United claimed three huge Premier League points at Elland Road as they beat Nottingham Forest 2-1.
Here’s the winners and losers from the clash.
Winners
Jack Harrison
Harrison’s turnaround since the appointment of Javi Gracia has been simply staggering. He was painfully out of form before the Spaniard came through the door, but he’s responded to his message and all of a sudden he’s oozing confidence.
Read more: Leeds United player ratings as McKennie, Harrison and Sinisterra shine in priceless Forest win
The winger was the best player on the park for large periods, getting the better of Harry Toffolo time and time again. Cutting inside, he wreaked havoc with ball at his feet and his running off the ball didn’t go unnoticed either.
His goal to get Leeds level in the game, nodding home a rebound after Marc Roca had worked Keylor Navas, was his third in the last four and his fifth direct goal involvement under Gracia.
Marc Roca
Arguably his best performance in a Leeds shirt to date. He was exceptional in the middle of the park, running the game with his neat passing game and confidence on the ball.
Roca has struggled to find his natural rhythm in this team at times this season since arriving in the summer from Bayern Munich. However, he looked so comfortable alongside Weston McKennie in Leeds’ midfield and regularly found himself in space when he received the ball.
He constantly looked to move the ball forward, taking the ball on the half turn and finding those defence splitting passes that opened Forest up. McKennie deserves praise for his performance too and if the pair can replicate their performances on Sunday against Crystal Palace, they won’t go far wrong.
Luis Sinisterra
Sinisterra was below his best at Arsenal on Saturday, there’s no denying that as he looked leggy, sluggish and short of match fitness. He started the game against Forest in the same way, lacking energy and giving away one or two sloppy fouls.
But he grew as the game progressed, finding a swagger with the ball at his feet and asking huge questions of Neco Williams down Forest’s left. He was a menace cutting inside on his right and he managed to produce the moment of the night just before the break to give United the lead.
Darting inside from the touchline, he beat Williams with a swing of his hips and curled a sumptuous effort beyond Keylor Navas and into the bottom corner of the net.
Losers
Crysencio Summerville
Summerville was the best player in a White shirt at Arsenal on Saturday afternoon, running Ben White and the rest of the Gunners backline ragged with his pace and confidence on the ball. As such, most expected to see his name on the teamsheet when it came through an hour before kick-off.
However, despite his performance at the Emirates Stadium, he was the man to make way in Gracia’s side as the head coach switched things up. He did eventually enter the fray in the 73rd minute of the contest but he would have hoped to have played more minutes in such a crucial game.
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