Stats: Leeds star tops Championship in key area, dropped defender leads the other

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Tommaso Bianchi and Stephen Warnock have impressed in two statistical areas so far this season.

Tommaso Bianchi’s role at Leeds so far this season has been an important one.

The midfielder’s passing has been second to none at Elland Road and his ability, during the most recent Yorkshire derby and throughout the season, has been hard not to notice.

It might perhaps come as no surprise to Leeds United fans, then, that there is one key area of the Championship that Bianchi leads when it comes to statistics.

Indeed, as Opta stats show, Bianchi has won more tackles than anyone else in the division except Brentford’s Alan Judge. Judge, though, has played one more game. Others in the top six are former Manchester United man Fabio, David Perkins, Michael Hector and Fulham’s Scott Paker.

Bianchi is several ahead of most of them, proving his adeptness at winning back possession to start moves from midfield.

When it comes to intercepting the ball, however, it is a team-mate of Bianchi’s that is top dog in the Championship. But, at the moment, that team-mate isn’t quite top dog at Elland Road.

Yes, Stephen Warnock, who was dropped for the Yorkshire derby against Sheffield Wednesday, has won more interceptions than anyone else in English football’s second tier. That comes despite only playing 761 minutes.

Warnock was said to be unhappy not to be included against Wednesday, although Leeds have since denied those reports. Without painting the whole picture, his interception stats perhaps make a case for his re-inclusion in the side…