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Leeds United already eye Man City ace ahead of January window – and it’s not Kalvin Phillips
Kalvin Phillips in an Ipswich Town kit
Leeds United strengthened their midfield options well in the summer, but could still be keen on reinforcements in the position.
Anton Stach and Sean Longstaff arrived in central midfield as Leeds did well to reinforce their central options, even if the front line was neglected.
With Ao Tanaka already shining for Leeds, the White have reasonable strength in the position, but more depth and quality would certainly be welcomed.
When Leeds last thrived in the Premier League, Kalvin Phillips was a crucial figure in midfield, but the Whites could now target one of his teammates.
Kalvin Phillips in action for Ipswich last season
Credit: Imago
Leeds interested in Man City’s Nico O’Reilly
Phillips moved to Manchester City in 2022, but has since endured a nightmare time, and still remains at the Etihad Stadium as a move away failed to materialise.
While there was talk of a return to Leeds for Phillips, it appears that Daniel Farke has his sights set on a different Man City player.
Stat O’Reilly
Appearances 23
Goals 5
Assists 2
Nico O’Reilly’s stats for Leeds
CaughtOffside have reported that Leeds, as well as Bayer Leverkusen, Lyon and Brighton are all interested in Man City starlet Nico O’Reilly, who could be loaned out in January.
O’Reilly has already made 23 appearances for the Man City first team, scoring five goals, but could be loaned out for regular action.
Read more: Leeds United ace Ilia Gruev leaves Spain superstar Lamine Yamal furious as new footage emerges
Anton Stach playing for Leeds
Credit: Imago
Nico O’Reilly could play in surprise position for Leeds
O’Reilly has played in central midfield for Man City since breaking into the first team, but with Leeds well stocked in the position, he could be used in an alternative role.
The 20-year-old thrived in the Man City academy and has even started as a centre-forward in his formative days, recording three goals and two assists in nine games.
O’Reilly was prolific for the under-18s, scoring 21 goals and assisting 17 times in 46 games, and this level of output shows that he could be a very valuable asset if played closer to the final third.
A false nine role, in the lack of a clinical striker at Leeds, could be suitable for O’Reilly, but it would be a risk given his age, and it remains to be seen whether City would be happy to sanction a move where he is used in a different position.
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Wolves 1-3 Leeds: Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Anton Stach and Noah Okafor all score first Whites goals to leave Vitor Pereira’s side rooted to bottom
Three Leeds summer signings scored vital first goals for the club as Daniel Farke’s side came from behind to win 3-1 at Wolves, who remain rooted to the bottom of the table on zero points.
After three games without a win or a goal, Farke’s team got off to the worst possible start as Ladislav Krejci opened the scoring for Wolves on his first Molineux appearance after being fed by Fer Lopez in the box.
But that goal came against the run of play, with Leeds eventually getting their reward with three goals in 15 minutes to end the first half.
As it happened | Teams | Match stats
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First, Dominic Calvert-Lewin got off the mark in Leeds colours as he headed Jayden Bogle’s cross past Jose Sa for his first Premier League goal since January.
The forward then had a big role in Leeds’ second as he won a free-kick on the edge of the area and Anton Stach thwacked the set-piece into Sa’s top corner from nearly 30 yards out, for his first goal for the Whites.
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Watch Anton Stach’s stunning free-kick to put Leeds in front against Wolves at the Molineux
Stach then set up the third as he intercepted Emmanuel Agbadou’s clumsy pass out to feed the exciting Noah Okafor, who finished into the far corner.
Boos rang around Molineux at half-time and Vitor Pereira – who signed a new three-year deal this week – made three substitutions to respond to the three goals, which included Jorgen Strand Larsen in his return from injury.
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But Wolves were only met with a strong Leeds defensive wall, with Karl Darlow making two strong second-half saves to deny substitute Marshall Munetsi, as well as another to stop Yerson Mosquera from pulling one back.
For Wolves, they have become just the sixth team to lose all five of their opening Premier League games of the season. Out of the other five, three have gone down as the 20th-placed team, while two have stayed up. Which group will they sit in?
Player ratings:
Wolves: Sa (4); Agbadou (4), Mosquera (5), Toti (6); Thatchoua (4), J.Gomes (6), Krejci (7), R.Gomes (5); Lopez (6), Bellegarde (5), Arokodare (5)
Subs: Strand Larsen (6), Munetsi (5), H.Bueno (6), Andre (6), Arias (6)
Leeds: Darlow (7); Bogle (8), Rodon (7), Stuijk (6), Gudmundsson (8); Ampadu (7), Stach (8), Longstaff (7); Aaronson (7), Okafor (9), Calvert-Lewin (7)
Subs: Harrison (6), Tanaka (n/a), Justing (n/a), Nmecha (n/a), Gruev (n/a)
Player of the Match: Noah Okafor
In pictures: Stach’s stunning free-kick
Anton Stach scored a stunning second goal for Leeds
Stach goal
Stach goal
Okafor’s staggering numbers lead Leeds to victory
Sky Sports’ Sam Blitz:
Three summer signings got on the scoresheet for Leeds and Wolves and all stole the show in their different ways.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s first Premier League goal since January was a throwback to his best self – not only grabbing Leeds’ equaliser but leading the line with solid build-up play.
Anton Stach’s brilliant free-kick was the moment of the match. The German midfielder came into the weekend as the only Premier League player with at least ten shots and ten chances created – and he will join Calvert-Lewin in producing attacking creativity to make Daniel Farke’s side dangerous.
But the standout player was Noah Okafor, who got the third goal but it was so well deserved after an industrious play down the left.
The winger attempted an incredible 14 dribbles – 12 of them coming before half-time. That dozen was already the most out of any Premier League player in a single match all season, and his aggressive and clinical display epitomised their overall display.
A lot of Leeds’ summer signings had one thing in common: six foot or above. Farke even admitted they had been brought in with physicality and even set piece in mind.
But Leeds have showed something different: they have actual Premier League quality capable of keeping them up.
Farke: Calvert-Lewin is a proven goalscorer
Dominic Calvert-Lewin rises to head Leeds level at Wolves
Image: Dominic Calvert-Lewin got up highest to head Leeds level at Wolves
Leeds head coach Daniel Farke to Sky Sports:
“It’s always good for the players, the confidence, the forward players. For Dominic, for Noah. Anton had an impressive start to Premier League life. But it was also never in doubt as we created enough chances in the first game, sometimes you are a bit unlucky and then you have to fight and ask more questions. That’s what we did today. We know we are capable to push opponents back and ask questions.
“Dominic is a proven goalscorer, he has the instinct of where he has to be. He is outstanding with his head.
“It was never in doubt, we don’t even have to speak about it. He is a proven player at this level, pretty mature, leads the line and is smart in his tactical behaviour.
“He’s a goal threat up front, it’s just a matter of getting him fit today. An impressive away performance, full compliment to him.”
Strand Larsen: I’m disappointed in all of us
Wolves striker Jorgen Strand Larsen:
“Bad – simple as that. We’re in a really, really tough spot right now. I’m really disappointed in all of us. No one wants to be in this situation but we have no one or nothing else to complain about. Only ourselves.
“We are 1-0 up today, everything is perfect. We can’t give away the goals we gave away. It kills us and the kills the people who want to come into the game too and want to make a change.
“It’s about the mentality of all of us. We need to do better every day from now on. Otherwise this league is too tough to be playing like this.
Fer Lopez looks on dejected at Molineux
Image: Fer Lopez looks on dejected at Molineux
“I’ve been out of the pitch for a while now but it does give a similar vibe to the other goals we’ve conceded. Too easy, crosses, giving away passes. The goal we scored showed the quality in the team. We have so many quality players, but then again we can only be good on the ball sometimes.
“That was a really good goal and sometimes we need to be able to win 1-0 or 2-0 at home and not concede. That’s not about a defender or a goalkeeper, but that’s all of us. We need to really make sure our mentality is changing now, otherwise it will be a long season.
“I believe in us and the players, the manager and the club. What we have is something really special and something really good. We showed that last year when we went on a six-game winning spell. We have the quality definitely.
“We just need to find those small details that puts us in the right way instead of conceding and losing games. We’re missing a bit of flair and fight in us. That will come, it needs to come quick.”
Pereira: I don’t care about my job security
Wolves head coach Vitor Pereira to Sky Sports:
“My opinion after our goal: we are not aggressive on the pressure. We conceded spaces that we cannot concede playing at home. We committed some mistakes that we cannot.
“The second half was better, trying to push them to force the mistakes, to create problems with crosses into the box, and we created chances to score. But we didn’t. We have to work, must work and must improve.
“The effort of the players in the second half, they tried everything but against a low block is not easy. They defend a result and I understand. If we score for 3-2, it’s different.
“But if you concede the first goal and the free-kick they score a second, and we gave them the third one, it’s difficult.
“I don’t care about security in football. I just want to correct, increase the level of our team and compete for the three points. That’s the important thing. I’m not worried about the future or the contract, I’m not worried about this.”
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