Here are the Leeds United morning headlines for Thursday, September 22.
Sunderland boss Mowbray praises former Leeds winger
Former Leeds United winger Jack Clarke has been praised by Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray after his great start to the season.
The 21-year-old left Elland Road to join Tottenham Hotspur for a fee of around £10million in 2019, before being loaned back to the Whites for a disappointing six-month stint. A series of loans followed, including a switch to Sunderland last season before he signed permanently with the Black Cats.
After three goals and four assists in his first ten games for Sunderland, Mowbray praised his form but spoke about how he opted to not work with the youngster while employed at Blackburn Rovers.
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"I played my best football after 30 because I knew my body, understood the game and speed of it, where I needed to put people. Young players, it's more off the cuff and Jack falls into that category. What a wonderful talent he is.
"The first half at Reading for example he frustrated me a bit, he couldn't get on the ball as much as he'd have liked, and he doesn't really have those double movements yet, to run away and come back to buy some space, to come short and then spin away when the defender comes tight, these are all the things he has to work on.
"What nobody can deny is the talent he has when the ball is at his feet, how fast his feet are and how wonderful a talent he is.
"And he's a joy to work with because he's a wonderfully happy-go-lucky kid. There's times I'd like him to be a bit more serious but that's because he really is a diamond of a lad, we all love him.
"Jack was proposed to us a lot at Blackburn Rovers for a loan but we never took it up, because I'd seen him play against us for the U23s and he hardly had a kick, I just felt he'd lost his way, you're obviously a talent if you move for the kind of fee he did.
"It's just about finding the answers and giving him that confidence, showing him that love. You have to have that understanding that from time to time you might bring him off because he's just having one of those days, but you never push him to the back of the queue because he can win you football matches."
Shackleton opens up on hunt for regular game time at Millwall
Jamie Shackleton was impressed by Millwall's resolve after they came from behind to beat Michael Appleton's Blackpool last weekend. The Leeds United loanee has featured in every game of Millwall's Championship campaign to date, nine of those being starts, after struggling to break into the first team at Elland Road.
One of the main reasons behind his loan departure way from Elland Road. Shackleton told londonnewsonline: “That’s one of the big reasons I came on loan – to put a good run of games together and pick up a nice bit of form.
"That’s been something that has been hard to come by in the past couple of years at Leeds. That’s the aim and hopefully we can continue that.”
'Special' - Leeds United supporters react to Sonny Perkins debut goal for England U19s
Leeds United U21 forward Sonny Perkins has marked his England U19 debut with his maiden goal in the Three Lions 2-0 victory over Montenegro.
Perkins started alongside fellow Leeds midfielder Darko Gyabi, who was also making his first appearance for the U19s.
The 18-year-old has scored six goals in five games for Leeds U21s in Premier League 2 and has formed a formidable partnership with Mateo Joseph, who has also notched five goals.
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