Saved by Calvert-Lewin: Farke must sell Leeds star who only made 4 passes

With the game ticking towards added time right at the end of the 90 minutes, it looked nailed on that Leeds United versus Brighton and Hove Albion would be ending in a 0-0 stalemate.

The match just felt like an end-of-season Premier League encounter, with not much left to play for either side in the top-flight, as Elland Road was soaked in sunshine.

Yet, Dominic Calvert-Lewin had other ideas when he instinctively snatched a surprise winner for Daniel Farke‘s men right at the death, as he capitalised on a dreadful back-pass by Jan Paul Van Hecke, and Bart Verbruggen rashly running out, to prod home a 96th-minute winner.

Up to 14 Premier League goals now for the season, the number nine has undoubtedly been one of Leeds’ most impressive performers all campaign long, with several other stars sticking out during the 1-0 win.

Leeds’ star performers vs Brighton

Amazingly, when Calvert-Lewin snuck in to score this dramatic winner, this was Leeds’ first shot on target of the entire game.

That does sum up the ex-Everton marksman’s season, though, as he has a knack of popping up with a moment of match-winning quality, even if he has been quiet throughout a match.

Alongside Calvert-Lewin, rounding off his memorable season at Elland Road with another crucial strike, Ethan Ampadu stood out once more as Leeds’ engine from the middle of the park, as the Whites’ captain didn’t tire one bit during the showdown, winning four tackles and duels and completing 32 accurate passes in the process.

Leeds also had to stand firm against waves of Brighton pressure throughout, and a deserved clean sheet would come their way courtesy of Jaka Bijol putting in a strong and resilient defensive performance, as the Slovenian blocked a late shot to keep the Seagulls at bay.

Karl Darlow further kept up his resurgence in the Leeds first team fold with a memorable showing between the sticks, amassing seven saves in total, to ensure a 1-0 win was just about clinched.

There was also a heartfelt moment towards the end of the game when Sam Byram was given a late run-out, with it expected that the long-term Whites servant will walk away from his boyhood club at the close of the season.

He’s unlikely to be the only departee during the summer, with Leeds potentially waving goodbye to another other long-standing servant, who put in a weak overall showing against the visitors from the South Coast.

Leeds must finally sell 13-touch star

It has felt like a long time coming, but this summer could finally be the right time to offload Wilfried Gnonto.

The Italian attacker was once viewed as an energetic livewire for the Whites who could conjure up moments of magic from nothing, with two goals and four assists coming his way during his debut season in the Premier League.

Now, however, he feels like somewhat of a tired relic in West Yorkshire, with the likes of Noah Okafor pushing into the first team, and he offered very little when being chucked into the contest on Sunday afternoon to suggest he should be kept, past this summer.

Indeed, from an unmemorable 30-minute run-out, the one-time FC Zurich youngster could only muster up 13 touches of the ball, resulting in just four accurate passes being amassed.

Only registering one shot at goal, too, Calvert-Lewin thankfully stepped up as Leeds’ late hero while Gnonto faltered, with the overriding feeling around Elland Road now, when it comes to the 22-year-old, that he’s possibly overstayed his welcome.

Used consistently as an impact substitute by Farke, he has failed to score a single Premier League goal this season, as we head into the final matchday next weekend.

With it being reported that Freiburg from the Bundesliga are keen on snapping up the Italian, the time could well be right now to part ways, before he fades even more into the background.

It will be a sad severing of the ties, as Gnonto did play his part in Leeds’ jubilant promotion last season.

But, with the Whites further noted as being open to sell, it does look very likely that West Yorkshire giants will be parting ways with the diminutive attacker very soon, as the squad undergoes another makeover after securing safety comfortably.