Leeds United moved into the top-half of the Championship table with a 1-0 win.
Leeds United moved themselves into the top-half of the Championship table with a narrow win away at Wolverhampton Wanderers, largely thanks to a solid defensive display.
The Whites may have rode their luck at times as the home side failed to convert some good chances, but the performances of centre-back pairing Kyle Bartley and Pontus Jansson were, once again, crucial to Garry Monk’s men.
Leeds United manager Garry Monk
And while both men, as well as the rest of the back five, deserve credit as Leeds picked up their fourth clean sheet in the league this season, it is perhaps the former that deserves most of the plaudits, as his statistics prove.
| Blocks | Tackles won | Total clearances | Duels won | Interceptions won | Accurate passes | Touches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyle Bartley | 3 | 2 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 21 | 48 |
While he failed to make an interception, the stand-in skipper proved prominent in every other area.
No player in the division made more blocks than the three the 25-year-old managed this weekend, while he also made two successful challenges.
Kyle Bartley, in action against Blackburn
But it is perhaps in terms of making clearances and winning duels where Bartley really excelled. Only Jansson managed to clear the ball on more occasions while Kemar Roofe was the only player to win more duels than the former Arsenal trainee.
And if Leeds are going to capitalise on their promising start to the season, they will surely need their centre-back pairing to continue their brilliant form.
Leeds’ Hadi Sacko with Kyle Bartley
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