One Leeds United star has been praised for his recent turnaround in form.
Paul Merson believes Brenden Aaronson brings a necessary ‘X-Factor’ to the Leeds United squad when playing with confidence.
Aaronson has enjoyed a remarkable turnaround at Leeds this season with clamour for him to be dropped over the autumn period disappearing completely. The American’s return of three goals and an assist in his last nine appearances has secured a place atop Daniel Farke’s teamsheet and won the appreciation of those who previously wanted him benched.
While Aaronson wasn’t at his best during this week’s 2-2 comeback draw at Chelsea, he continued to harass the opposition defenders and is becoming an increasingly influential player. And with a break in Premier League action for the FA Cup this weekend, the 25-year-old’s improvement has been highlighted.
Presenter Simon Thomas singled out Aaronson when speaking about Leeds’ comeback draw during the week on Sky Sports. He said: “Leeds were 2-0 down and heading for defeat against Chelsea on Tuesday night, before a remarkable fightback saw the Yorkshire club leave Stamford Bridge with a point.
“It was a performance to be proud of, and it shows just how far Farke’s side has come since a run of six defeats in seven games left him feeling the pressure in November. One of their stand-out performers in that time has been Aaronson, who told Johnny Phillips that this Leeds side can compete with anyone on their day.”
Paul Merson praises Brenden Aaronson
And picking up on Aaronson in particular, Merson added: “I like him. He’s lively. My thing with him is he didn’t play well against Arsenal. And that sort of knocked his confidence a little bit. But yeah, I like him.
“I think you need that kind of player in your team. You need a little bit of X-Factor, a little bit of energy, and he’s done very well. I’m a big fan of his.”
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Aaronson is expected to get a much-deserved rest when Leeds face Birmingham City in the FA Cup later today. Daniel Farke benched his attacking midfielder for the previous round’s 3-1 win at Derby County and is set to rotate again, with Premier League survival still the priority.
Leeds return to league action away at Aston Villa next weekend before hosting title contenders Manchester City at the end of this month. Those games round off a tricky period for the Whites, after which their fixtures become easier on paper.
Farke’s side reached the 30-point milestone following that 2-2 draw at Chelsea, with three wins and one draw enough to get them up to 40. The Whites still have Sunderland, Brentford, Wolves, Burnley and Brighton to play at Elland Road.
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