Premier League leader can define Leeds United in relegation battle

Leeds United have boosted their hopes of preserving their Premier League status and avoiding an immediate return to the Championship by embarking on an unbeaten run now standing at five games.

Since producing a much-improved performance during the second-half of an agonising late defeat at Manchester City last month, Daniel Farke’s side have battled their way to draws against Liverpool, Brentford and Sunderland and have collected maximum points in impressive wins against Chelsea and Crystal Palace. That all means the Whites will head into a quickfire return match with Liverpool on New Years Day sitting six points clear of the relegation zone.

There is still a lot of work to do before the Elland Road hierarchy can start planning for a second successive season in the top flight of English football - but there is no doubt confidence is flowing and there is an increasing belief the Whites can start looking up the table, rather than looking nervously over their shoulders at the drop zone. One of the key factors in their recent upturn in form has been the goalscoring exploits of summer signing Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has now plundered his way to seven goals in his last six appearances after grabbing the equaliser in Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Sunderland.

The former Everton striker’s form has led to talk of a possible England recall ahead of next summer’s World Cup finals in North America as Thomas Tuchel looks to find suitable backup for current captain and Three Lions legend Harry Kane. However, it is matters closer to home that will be of paramount importance for Leeds supporters and they have been told there is one area where Calvert-Lewin ranks as one of the best in the Premier League.

Confidence

When discussing Calvert-Lewin’s England aspirations, former Newcastle United and Crystal Palace star Darren Ambrose told talkSPORT: “Dominic Calvert-Lewin offers you something different to Harry Kane. It was instinct, it was a forward on form, it was a forward full of confidence. He made that run that maybe during his Everton time or the start of this season, when he was a bit low on confidence he would not have made that run because there would have been a real fear that he would have missed it had he got there, subconsciously thought he would have missed it.

“But he made a natural instinct run, timed it perfectly and a beautiful finish into the goal. And by the way, if Leeds stay up it is going to be down to the form of Dominic Calvert-Lewin. And I just feel he will give England something different. He is one of the best headers of the ball in the Premier League at the moment on form. And if he continues this form, or probably half of this form, I think he is a real decent back-up to Harry Kane. I would take them both [Calvert-Lewin and Ollie Watkins] and Harry Kane.

“I think you have got Harry Kane who is going to play, you have got Ollie Watkins who can come on and make those runs in behind when defenders are tired, as we seen when he scored his goal in the Euros. And on the flip side, you have got Dominic Calvert-Lewin, if you have got set-plays, winning set-plays, throw-ins, corners, you bring him on to make that run into the box to get on the end of it and head it.”

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