Ethan Ampadu is Leeds United captain and one of the key players for Daniel Farke over the last two seasons in the Championship.
Leeds United have a squad brimming with defensive quality but Ethan Ampadu remains one of the players most vital to keeping clean sheets, be that in defensive midfield or when filling in as a centre-back.
Jamie Carragher described Ampadu as the best player against Everton when speaking at half-time on Monday, with the Welshman back into his preferred midfield role and screening the back four.
Ampadu got some revenge on Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and it was also spotted that Leeds teased that Leicester bad blood online the day after the fixture as well.
Ethan Ampadu during Leeds United v Everton - Premier League
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Incredible Leeds statistic emerges regarding Ethan Ampadu
Leeds secured a clean sheet on Monday and that will give the defence some confidence ahead of the trip to Arsenal, with an away clash at The Emirates one of the toughest fixtures Leeds will face all season.
Troy Deeney named Ampadu in the BBC Team of the Week. He said: “In holding midfield, Ampadu was excellent. He had a really nasty tackle, and it looked like he could have done damage to his ankle, but he was excellent.
“He showed the armband, headed everything, tackled everything, and was really aggressive in his passing forwards – he was the catalyst for Leeds to go on to win.”
Speaking post-match, Farke explained Ampadu’s condition after being on the receiving end of a robust tackle from Everton’s Tim Iroegbunam. He described the 24-year-old as “fine”.
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Since then, Leeds’ manager has confirmed Ampadu’s MCL injury. It means he will miss the next three fixtures with Arsenal, Sheffield Wednesday, and Newcastle United as a minimum. It could well go beyond the upcoming international break, however.
It’s a huge blow, with Ampadu’s physicality sure to be missed against the Gunners and Newcastle. They are both sides with serious aggression and physicality of their own. That has been compounded further by the latest reveal.
Opta’s Jonny Cooper has explained that the 1-0 win over Everton was the 25th consecutive league game without losing for Ampadu, which is a new Leeds record by a player outside of the Don Revie era; it’s a big blow to lose him.
Wales v Armenia: Grouo D - UEFA EURO 2024 Qualifying Round
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Dan James’ Ethan Ampadu verdict underlines his Leeds importance
The £10m signing was made Leeds captain last season after playing all 49 Championship games for the Whites in his first campaign. The skipper is dependable and reliable, and usually he has incredible availability as well.
His consistency has seen Ampadu even captain his country of late. His Welsh Leeds teammates clearly love him, including Joe Rodon and Leeds’ speedy winger down the right-hand side.
Dan James explained how he feels about Ampadu last season, stating: “Ethan just takes everything in his stride.
“The way he carries himself on and off the pitch is unbelievable. He’s naturally a captain at heart.”