Javi Gracia hails two Leeds players who were ‘outstanding’ vs Nottingham Forest

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Leeds United coach Javi Gracia was impressed by the ‘outstanding’ Patrick Bamford and Luis Sinisterra during Tuesday’s 2-1 victory over Premier League relegation rivals Nottingham Forest.

And, just like that, Leeds United are in 13^th place. Two spots behind Chelsea, no less.

That eventual 2-1 win at Elland Road flattered the visitors more than the hosts too; one of Leeds’ finest and most complete performances of the entire campaign not exactly reflected by the scoreline.

Orel Mangala’s early opener was the very definition of a ‘false dawn’ for a Nottingham Forest side with by far and away the worst away record in the division. Leeds were largely terrific over the next 80 minutes; Man of the Match Jack Harrison slamming home an equaliser following a Keylor Navas spill before Sinisterra finally proved his worth with the sort of curling finish he made his trademark at Feyenoord.

There was no goal on a night of frustration for Bamford, however. But Gracia made sure to praise a performance full of effort and endeavour from his number nine; Bamford setting the tone while barely giving Moussa Niakhate and Felipe an inch throughout.

Javi Gracia’s Leeds United beat Nottingham Forest at Elland Road

“Today in my opinion, they (Bamford and Sinisterra) play outstanding,” Gracia tells Leeds Live.

“Not only these two players, because if we are speaking about all of them, my opinion is the same.”

Robin Koch and Pascal Struijk were impressive at centre-half too. Marc Roca and January signing Weston McKennie, meanwhile, produced arguably their finest displays in Leeds white.

“Defenders did an amazing job,” Gracia adds. “Because the time we were attacking, they were all the time paying attention (to) press the defence, controlling their players.

“You know how difficult is to keep all this concentration during all the game. I think is it was the key to the game, the way we were focused. When we have to defend and pursue, we should do to kill the game (earlier).”