Leeds United took a huge step away from the relegation zone with a dominant 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest at Elland Road on Friday night.
Daniel Farke's side took a 2-0 lead into half-time thanks to goals from Jayden Bogle and Noah Okafor, before Dominic Calvert-Lewin made it 3-0 just minutes into the second half to seal the points, despite a late consolation from debutant Lorenzo Lucca.
But while the former England striker was the man to get all the plaudits once again after netting his tenth goal of the season in the Premier League following his free transfer move from Everton, it's another Elland Road star who deserves the plaudits for their performances this season.
Leeds Staying Up Because of Ampadu
Ethan Ampadu Leeds
Leeds United started the season slowly under Farke, earning just eight points from their first eight games, and struggling to score goals. Calvert-Lewin's purple patch synced up with a change of formation from the manager, and it has helped the team earn lots of vital points.
But the goal against Forest was Calvert-Lewin's first in five matches, and in that period of time one Leeds star didn't see his performance levels drop. In fact, his consistency has been one of his best attributes since moving to Elland Road three years ago.
Ethan Ampadu came to the club from Chelsea in 2023 and slotted straight into the team that had just been relegated from the Premier League, but there were question marks over his best position. But since he joined we have seen him be key as both a central midfielder and centre-back, and this season he's played in both roles.
Against Forest, the Wales international played in central midfield alongside Ilia Gruev, and he turned in another brilliant performance. The skipper completed 41/53 passes, made two interceptions, three clearances, won all four of his aerial duels and won three out of four ground duels, according to Sofascore, which earned him an excellent 8/10 rating from Graham Smyth.
As good as he was in that game, Leeds fans have just come to expect it on a regular basis. When he's good, he's incredible, but even when he's not at his best, he is reliable and influential to the Leeds teams' performance.
Leeds' Best Business Was Keeping Ampadu
Daniel Farke
After Leeds failed to gain promotion in their first season under Farke, Ampadu was linked with an immediate return to the top-flight with Aston Villa.
That deal obviously never materialised, but there will have been more interest in the summer just gone too, despite Leeds being in the Premier League. Even after bringing in a host of new players to strengthen the squad, it's no surprise Ampadu remains one of the first names on the team sheet.
Leeds are now nine points clear of the relegation zone following the win, having played a game more than West Ham, and they should be safe from the drop considering results and performances so far this season. Calvert-Lewin's goals have been huge, and there have been other top performers too, but Ampadu's consistency and brilliance is the main reason for it.
Leeds head coach Daniel Farke reacts on the touchline Related
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