Leeds United climbed into the play-off places with a sensational win over the Canaries.
Unsurprisingly, it was Pontus Jansson that was, once again, taking many of the plaudits following Leeds United’s sensational win over Norwich City on Saturday.
But while Jansson deserves plenty of praise – it was the Sweden international who scored the Whites’ first at Carrow Road – the statistics suggest that his centre-back partner also shone in the victory.
Leeds’ Kyle Bartley
Kyle Bartley has been a brilliant addition to Garry Monk’s squad since arriving on loan in the summer, and he, once again, rose to the occasion against Norwich.
| Blocks | Total clearances | Duels won | Accurate passes | Touches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyle Bartley | 1 | 11 | 6 | 34 | 58 |
As well as making one block, the 25-year-old also won six duels throughout the game. Perhaps surprisingly, the only Leeds players who won more duels than the former Arsenal trainee were Souleymane Doukara and Chris Wood, who were obviously battling much further up the pitch.
Blackburn’s Danny Graham in action with Leeds’ Kyle Bartley
But it was the number of clearances he made that really highlights his impact on the game. Getting the ball clear has often been where Jansson has excelled this term, but Bartley’s total of 11 on Saturday put him one clear of the Swede.
And while Monk may be disappointed about the two goals his side did concede, and may feel that eradicating such mistakes is important if the team are to finish in the top six, the way that his centre-backs performed on the whole will give him a tremendous amount of confidence about their promotion hopes.
Leeds United manager Garry Monk
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