Leeds United should not be relying on him alone to keep them in the Premier League but a goal vs Brentford would tick two boxes
Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter
07:00, 20 Mar 2026
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has not scored a goal in nearly six weeks
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Dominic Calvert-Lewin has not scored a goal in six weeks(Image: on Hobley/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The story of Leeds United’s season has been being competitive and deserving of points, but not always getting them. The winter period was a purple patch that showed that Leeds indeed have the ability to stay in the Premier League.
Yet their last league win came nearly six weeks ago, and now the gap to the bottom three has closed to just three points. Granted, the likes of Chelsea, Aston Villa and Manchester City have been battled within this time period.
United will feel they have suffered a number of injustices of late, including the decision not to award a penalty for a foul on Pascal Struijk against Sunderland and the bizarre Gabriel Gudmundsson red card circumstances at Crystal Palace last weekend.
The test of this Leeds squad is to use these setbacks as fuel to defeat a Brentford outfit who are pushing for Europe and have not lost away in the league since January 17 - some five road trips ago.
The task, then, will be tough but three points is vital not just for their own table standing but to heap pressure on their final-relegation-spot rivals who all play on Sunday. How Saturday pans out will determine what mindset they carry over the international break and into the run-in.
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Scoring a goal
Leeds have not scored in more than 300 minutes of Premier League football, having gone the last three games without finding the net. The task was always going to be difficult against Man City and going down 10 men away at Palace changed the complexion of the match.
But Leeds still created enough xG to have scored in each match, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin - who has done so much right this season - missing a glorious chance against City and squandering a penalty at Palace.
He needs a goal for the sake of his own rhythm but we are now at the stage where it doesn’t matter who gets it, Leeds simply need one for the sake of their own belief. Going four games goalless means a mini-streak turns into a worrying concern.
Playing without Gudmundsson
Gudmundsson has only missed one Premier League line-up all season, and his absence will be a blow. Ironically, it likely makes Daniel Farke’s defensive selection simpler, with James Justin moving over to the left and Jayden Bogle coming back in on the right.
Justin and his versatility has been a terrific signing at just £8million. He has shown his capabilities going both ways, with two goals and an assist since the turn of the year.
However, those who watch Leeds frequently are aware that Gudmundsson generally possesses the most potency when it comes attacking, with Justin tending to be more cautious. This is hardly a criticism but it is a factor that could come into play should Leeds want to be more expansive on home soil. Still, Justin is ample cover regardless.
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How will Calvert-Lewin respond?
Both to his penalty miss last time out and whether he makes the England squad or not. In a few hours’ time, we will discover whether he has made the cut for March’s internationals.
The main assumption is that he will not make the cut with just one goal in nine outings. But form is not always the solely decisive factor as Thomas Tuchel pieces together his plans and philosophies for the World Cup.
If Calvert-Lewin does get the nod, he may be given a huge confidence boost. If not, as many expect, his mission is to put himself in the frame in the final eight games of the season. The first step is responding with a goal and a successful showing at Brentford this weekend.