USMNT’s Brenden Aaronson DROPPED by Leeds for huge Premier League relegation clash against Leicester but Weston McKennie retains place
Aaronson #Aaronson
WHAT HAPPENED? McKennie started in midfield alongside Marc Roca once again, with Leeds still without Tyler Adams due to injury. Brenden Aaronson, meanwhile, was named to the bench, coming on in the second half with Leeds up 1-0 thanks to a Luis Sinisterra goal.
Despite leading for 60 minutes, Leeds failed to leave Elland Road with all three points as they surrendered a late goal to Jamie Vardy. The Leicester star’s strike ensured a split of the points, with Patrick Bamford’s late miss from close range proving particularly damning to Leeds’ survival hopes.
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HOW THEY GOT ON: McKennie was among Leeds’ strongest performers, alongside Jack Harrison, with the duo bossing the game throughout the first half. The second half, though, was relatively quiet for McKennie as Leeds failed to discover the rhythm that made their first half so strong.
Aaronson, meanwhile, replaced Rodrigo in the 68th minute, but struggled to make much of an impact.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: The match was a crucial one as Leeds, entering the day in 16th place, faced a Leicester team one place below them in the league. A win would have taken Leeds four points clear of the relegation zone but, with the two dropped points, the club is now just two points ahead of 18th-place Everton. Everton, Nottingham Forest and Southampton are currently in the relegation spots, with all three having a game in hand on Leeds and Leicester following the match.
WHAT NEXT FOR LEEDS? After Tuesday’s match, Leeds will look ahead to this weekend’s match against Bournemouth before difficult matches against Manchester City and Newcastle over the following two weeks.