The Sunderland loanee shone for Leeds against Nottingham Forest – even in the final third.
Liam Bridcutt’s match stats against Nottingham Forest make for very interesting reading.
Indeed, many Leeds United fans acknowledged the Sunderland loanee’s performance – another feather in his cap at Elland Road.
But a look at the figures might come as a surprise. For Bridcutt wasn’t just effective in breaking up play – he was successful in the final third, too…
| V Nottingham Forest | Final-Third Passes | Accurate Passes | Interceptions | Tackles | Minutes Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liam Bridcutt | 29 | 78 | 4 | 2 | 90 |
| Lewis Cook | 21 | 50 | 0 | 5 | 90 |
| Scott Wootton | 17 | 42 | 2 | 0 | 89 |
| Souleymane Doukara | 15 | 44 | 2 | 2 | 90 |
| Charlie Taylor | 14 | 45 | 2 | 0 | 90 |
Against Forest, the Leeds midfielder completed an astonishing 78 passes and also won four interceptions. Two tackles added to the list makes up the traditional role of a defensive midfielder.
But the Sunderland man also completed an incredible 29 final-third passes. So what went wrong for Leeds on the day?
Plenty was made after the game of a lack of quality from Bridcutt’s team-mates. There was a lack of creativity and no urgency in the final third – summed up by Souleymane Doukara also failing to react defensively, when he was so easily beaten to the ball for Nottingham Forest’s winner.
Bridcutt’s performance, then, sums up just how far behind his Leeds team-mates were on the day. As a defensive midfielder, he still did more than anyone else in the final third – and United still couldn’t capitalise.
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