Leeds goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell saved Marcelo Bielsa’s side in their 1-0 Championship win against Reading at Elland Road.
Stuart Dallas scored the winner as Leeds United sealed a narrow 1-0 triumph over Reading on Tuesday night at a freezing Elland Road. But all the talk before and after the game was about the goalkeeper, Bailey Peacock-Farrell.
For the first time since forcing his way into Leeds’ starting XI in the spring, Peacock-Farrell did not start a Championship game in Saturday’s 2-0 win against Bristol City.
An injury suffered in training gave rookie Will Huffer a chance in his absence, but Marcelo Bielsa admitted that ‘BPF’ was set to be dropped anyway after his horror show in the 4-1 thrashing at West Brom before the international break (YEP).
So, when returning to start against Reading, the 22-year-old had much to prove. And it’s fair to say he stepped up at a crucial moment in his Leeds career, denying Marc McNulty with a brilliant penalty save with just minutes left on the clock.
And while Royals boss Paul Clement was pleased with a promising display from his visitors, he has lamented a moment of magic from Leeds’ under fire shot-stopper.
“I saw Marc confident. He struck it well and it was a good save by the goalkeeper,” Clement said in quotes reported by the Telegraph and Argus.
“Obviously Marc’s gutted but it could happen to anyone,” winger Andy Rimonhota added, reported by Reading’s official website.
“He’s put it in the corner and the ‘keeper has made a fantastic save. It’s one of those at the end of the day, it’s football and it happens.”
‘Fantastic’ is perhaps the most accurate way to sum up just how impressive the save was. Flying to his left, Peacock-Farrell pawed away McNulty’s spot-kick and pushed it around the post.
It was the kind of match-winning quality that he needed to show with his role in the team coming under question of late.
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