'In fairness' - Leeds United fans on Sunderland draw, Illan Meslier gaffe, Whites comfort and post-break must

Here is what our YEP Jury had to say on Friday night’s 2-2 draw at the Stadium of Light and Meslier’s blunder including Whites comfort in the Championship promotion race but a post-international break must.

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DAVID WATKINS

That is about as ‘Leedsy’ as it gets! Another trip to what many regarded as the best team in the Championship at this moment in time, an almost flawless performance to get to within seconds of victory and we come up with a new way to shoot ourselves in the foot.

At the end of the day we can take comfort in the fact that we were every bit as good, if not better, than the lucky Black Cats throughout an entertaining game. It’s that fact that we need to remember when we return after the international break; even missing two key first-team players we have the quality to see off most teams in this division.

As it is, we were the first team to even score at the Stadium of Light this season. We showed character to shrug off the early Sunderland goal, taking just 13 minutes to get back on terms with another Joel Piroe goal.

A neatly-worked second goal had us in the box seat and there were other chances too, notably for Largie Ramazani and Brenden Aaronson. As it was, a lack of game management at the very death – a needless free-kick conceded, outjumped for a header, and a sloppy-looking piece of goalkeeping, wasted much of our good work.

Man of the match: Willy Gnonto.

NEIL GREWER

That’s two points dropped due to an incredible goalkeeping faux pas. Whilst before kick-off a point would have been acceptable, even more so after Sunderland took the lead with the first ‘proper’ goal conceded this season – a mistake forced rather than a goal being gifted.

However, Leeds then dominated the game for large parts and scored two well-taken goals. Game management was good with solid performances throughout, but the bench lacked replacement wingers to replace the tiring Largie Ramazani and Willy Gnonto. Joe Rothwell impressed in periods and Ao Tanaka was faultless in possession.

As the last minute of injury time began with Leeds comfortable in a 2-1 lead, a “block” from Alan Browne well outside the penalty area deflected off the unlucky Junior Firpo and travelled tamely towards Illan Meslier, who inexplicably missed the ball completely. In fairness, the ball appeared to change direction on the bounce, however it still should have been saved.

Victory turned into a draw. Disaster. Meslier had been busier than any other game this season, but his handling had been good – until that haunting moment.

Man of the match: Willy Gnonto.

ANDY RHODES

Where do you start summarising a game like that? This one had it all and, for a while, it looked like Leeds had enough to see it through.

I should say at the top, every goalkeeper makes mistakes and Illan Meslier is not alone. Whether there was an awkward bounce of the ball we don’t know, but when you’re challenging at the top of the table these errors can cost you. Overall, it was a solid performance. Sunderland hadn’t conceded a home goal until Leeds came to town, let alone lost, and that shows how good United were on the night.

Willy Gnonto again showed that he is stepping up to fill the shoes of the departed Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter. Meanwhile, Junior Firpo is showing that he is the left-back for the job.

Defensively Leeds were solid after the early onslaught from Sunderland. Even in the closing stages, Leeds didn’t look like conceding. They will learn from this. There were so many positives to take from the game but, going into an international break, a win would have been a massive boost.

Man of the match: Willy Gnonto.

KEITH INGHAM

That was a hard one to take after Leeds had battled for 90 plus minutes only for a horrible gaffe by Illan Meslier to gift Sunderland an equaliser in the last moments of the game.

Leeds deserved the win, but unfortunately left with only one point because of his mistake. Sunderland went ahead within 10 minutes. Meslier saved the initial, goalbound effort but the rebound was put away by Chris Rigg.

Leeds levelled after 22 minutes, Willy Gnonto’s cross was expertly put away by Joel Piroe. Sunderland started the second half better than Leeds but rarely troubled Meslier.

A swift attack by Leeds before the hour mark ended with Firpo passing to Gnonto who returned the ball back to the left-back who coolly slotted the ball into the net.

Leeds seemed to settle for what they had and kept Sunderland at bay. They did break when substitute Isaac Schmidt found Aaronson but his effort was deflected wide.

As the game went into six minutes of injury time it seemed Leeds would be level on points with their hosts but disaster struck as Firpo deflected a last-minute effort that bounced in front of Meslier and inexplicably went past him. The fans that travelled to Norwich and Wearside in four days deserved much more.

Man of the match: Willy Gnonto.

MIKE GILL

This was a great team performance, which could have, would have, should have, resulted in an epic win.

Under most circumstances, a draw against the league leaders with their impressive home record would have been more than acceptable. As it was, the sickening finale was a bitter pill to swallow. The Whites had started shakily with Chris Rigg’s early goal, giving the home fans the kind of start they were looking for.

United gradually got themselves back into the game and actually started to dominate. Willy Gnonto powered down his favourite right flank and sent a perfectly weighted cross to Joel Piroe, who gave Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson no chance with a fine looping header.

In the second half, the unstoppable Gnonto popped up on the left this time to leave Junior Firpo a chance to score a rare, but very well-taken goal. From then on, Leeds ran the game with a finely-controlled away performance, surely proving that they have nobody to fear in this league but football is a cruel game.

It is fruitless to try to analyse how Alan Browne’s seemingly innocuous lob fooled Ilan Meslier and we can only hope that it does not knock his confidence

Man of the match: Willy Gnonto.