Yorkshire Evening Post

Mohammed Kudus starred to help Tottenham Hotspur to a 2-1 victory against Leeds United.

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Tottenham star Mohammed Kudus has made a Leeds United claim on the back of Saturday’s 2-1 victory at Elland Road.

Summer signing Kudus lined up at Leeds having already bagged four assists from his first six Spurs outings and the winger bagged another and also a first goal in victory for Thomas Frank’s side.

With the score goalless, Kudus firstly sent Mathys Tel away to put Spurs ahead and the Ghana international star then netted after the break to put Spurs back in front after Noah Okafor had equalised.

Leeds created a host of decent chances but it was Spurs who left with all three points and Kudus has claimed that “who wanted it more” proved key to success.

"We knew that we had to match that”

Speaking post match to SPURSPLAY, Kudus said: “I think the game was less about tactics, it was about grit and dedication and who wants it more because they are running, they are fighting for the ball.

"We knew that we had to match that intensity and I think that was what the game was about.

"I think everyone was on top form for us to get the win."

Kudus celebrated his goal by running over to the South Stand and sitting on a seat in front of United’s supporters.

Asked about his celebration, he quipped: “That was the closest chair I could find"

The YEP’s take and off-camera moments from Leeds United’s 2-1 defeat at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

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Leeds United go into the international break with eight points and more than their fair share of what-ifs.

Against Tottenham Hotspur the Whites were, once again, very competitive and could consider themselves unfortunate not to take a point from the game. Keeping themselves in the match gave them an opportunity to take points but missed chances were to blame for the second week running.

Here's the YEP take on Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Elland Road.

Good day

Joe Rodon

The ex-Spurs man is proving he's up to this level. Losing to his former side will not have felt good and you could see the frustration in his body language in the final moments but he's started the season well and against a very good attack he acquitted himself well.

Bad day

Pascal Struijk

His start to the season has been good enough to keep Jaka Bijol out of the side but this was a disappointing afternoon. He was unable to defend Mathys Tel for the first goal and couldn't do enough to stop Mohammed Kudus for the second. In between he was beaten in the air as Karl Darlow and the bar saved Leeds.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Without the striker doing that lone targetman role, Leeds would not have a lot of the chances they create because they simply wouldn't have the platform to play from. Calvert-Lewin is winning aerial battles, knocking the ball down and bringing others into play. But he's not taking the chances that are presenting themselves. He's had five in the last two games. He has to be finding the net.

Thomas Bramall

A refereeing performance that held promise in the first half when he was letting things go. Then he wobbled and became very inconsistent and started to award very soft free-kicks for just about anything. Leeds were right to feel aggrieved given the inconsistency and how so much went the visitors' way. His inability to deal with time-wasting was particularly disappointing. But officiating did not cost Leeds any points in this game.

Off-camera moments

Director Peter Lowy emerging into the directors box long before the game with a huge grin. "I love this place, feels like coming home," said the billionaire heir.

Jermaine Defoe taking a break from his broadcast duties to sign autographs for young Leeds fans down at the front of the West Stand.

Stuart Dallas, in the mandatory pundit shoes, having a joke and a hug with Jack Harrison on the pitch, while Lukas Nmecha and Defoe had a catch up.

Home fans giving Archie Gray's name a little cheer as it was announced over the public address system pre game.

Thomas Frank exchanging warm greetings with Edmund Riemer and Chris Domogalla as he passed the home dugout. Daniel Farke then emerged and had a long embrace with the Spurs boss.

Pascal Struijk escorting little mascot Noah off the pitch so that Ethan Ampadu could fulfil his captain duties for the coin toss.

“A rendition of 'you're Leeds and you know you are”

Dominic Calvert-Lewin using a Spurs offside as a chance to go back and have a chat with Karl Darlow about his long kicks upfield and where they should go.

Gray coming out to warm up in the first half to a rendition of 'you're Leeds and you know you are' from the Kop and West Stand.

Joe Rodon having a word with himself as he prepared to attack a second half set-piece with Leeds 2-1 down, visibly geeing himself up.

Jack Harrison and Pascal Struijk having a conversation about what they needed to do as a new left flank pairing while they waited for Spurs to make a change.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison having a former Everton reunion on the pitch as Noah Okafor went and complained to the officials. Ampadu had already shepherded a number of his team-mates away from the officials.

Archie Gray going on a lap of Elland Road to applaud the remaining fans and having a brief chat with Dallas.

There was obvious disappointing around Elland Road on Saturday afternoon when Leeds United fell to a narrow defeat against a Tottenham Hotspur side sat in the top four of the Premier League table.

It was the visitors that struck first as Mathys Tel opened the scoring midway through the first-half - but Daniel Farke’s men hit back before half-time as Noah Okafor grabbed an equaliser with his first home goal for the Whites.

However, it was Spurs that went on to claim all three points as former West Ham United star Mohammed Kudus grabbed the winning goal just before the hour-mark.

Despite receiving the unwavering support of the Elland Road faithful once again, Leeds were unable to find an equaliser during the final half-hour and fell to their first home defeat of the season.

But how does Leeds United’s average home attendance compare to their Premier League rivals?

Leeds United striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin has given his assessment of Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.

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Striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin made an honest Leeds United admission in the face of defeat to Tottenham Hotspur with a personal chances declaration.

Leeds suffered a third defeat of the Premier League season in Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off against Thomas Frank’s side who left Elland Road with a 2-1 victory through strikes from Mohammed Kudus and Mathys Tel.

Noah Okafor provided the sole goal for Daniel Farke’s Whites but Leeds squandered several good other chances and Calvert-Lewin - who had two of them himself - admitted his team were guilty of not putting Spurs to the sword when they should have.

On a personal front, Calvert-Lewin sliced one good chance wide before later being denied by a strong save from Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario’s legs.

The striker also squandered three good chances in last weekend’s 2-2 draw against Bournemouth but the 28-year-old is taking recent misses on the chin and thinking only about making the next chance count for his new side.

"Frustrating. A frustrating afternoon,” said Calvert-Lewin to TNT Sports.

“We should have taken advantage and we didn't”

"I think we were in positions in the game where we should have taken advantage and we didn't.

"Against good teams like Spurs you get punished so frustrating."

Pressed on Leeds producing a good competitive overall performance against Spurs, Calvert-Lewin declared: "It's what we expect from ourselves. We can compete at this level and more.

"We knew that Spurs were a good side, I think probably against the run of play we went 1-0 down and then worked hard to get ourselves back in the game.

"There were good chances for myself and others that we perhaps should have taken but that's the way it goes in the Premier League."

Pressed whether it was a case of chances just not falling for Leeds, Calvert-Lewin reasoned: "Not today, that's the life of the striker but you think about the next one constantly and make sure the next one is a goal."

Leeds United lost their first home game of the season on Saturday.

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Leeds United were made to rue wasteful finishing once again on Saturday as they lost 2-1 at home to Tottenham Hotspur. Noah Okafor scored the home side’s only goal but efforts either side of half-time from Mathys Tel and Mohammed Kudus inflicted a first home defeat on Daniel Farke’s side for over a year.

Both Spurs goals came via deflections off Pascal Struijk and while Leeds huffed and puffed for a second, quality in key moments was lacking and defeat leaves them on eight points after six games. Below are a handful of the YEP’s key talking points from the game.

Leeds United making life hard for themselves

The step up to facing Premier League defences was always going to prove difficult for Leeds but by conceding first, they continue to give themselves an uphill task. Tel’s opener came after a strong start from Farke’s side and it was a little too easy for the Frenchman to carve a chance, with Sean Longstaff caught in midfield and one ball forward isolating Struijk.

Leeds haven’t scored first in a game since their 1-0 opening-weekend win over Everton and have now conceded avoidable openers in each of their last three games. The fighting spirit to come back is applaudable, of course, but Farke would much rather his side be battling to preserve a lead than chase an equaliser.

Playing the percentages with Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Leeds did equalise on 34 minutes and the build up to Okafor’s goal was similar to a leveller at Wolves earlier this month. Jayden Bogle’s deep cross found Dominic Calvert-Lewin but instead of heading in, his lay-off was hit by Brenden Aaronson, the rebound falling to Okafor as Spurs scrambled.

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Farke himself has admitted Leeds don’t have the individual attacking quality of their Premier League rivals but when you can’t cut a defence open, swinging in dangerous crosses is the great leveller. A good ball into the box sets up a 50-50 battle between Calvert-Lewin and whoever he is battling, which is the kind of percentage play they need to attempt more often.

Door ajar for Jaka Bijol’s full Premier League debut

Spurs’ second goal looked frustratingly similar to their first, with one single forward pass unsettling the defence and Pascal Struijk’s attempts to block ending in a deflection. While the Dutchman was not completely at fault for either goal, there is an argument to suggest he should have got closer to shot-taker on both occasions and he was given a 5/10 in the YEP’s ratings.

While that may seem harsh, football at the highest level is decided by fine margins and including Eli Junior Kroupi’s equaliser for Bournemouth, Struijk has come out worse from the last three fine-margin moments. The international break could present an opportunity for £15million summer signing Jaka Bijol to stake his claim for a first Premier League start against Burnley.

Wide options lacking amid double injury blow

A double injury blow is the obvious caveat but Leeds’ wide options are worryingly thin, with Okafor their only consistent threat but unable to keep up the pace beyond 50 or so minutes. Farke had one back-up winger in Jack Harrison and eventually had him at wing-back, with Bogle or James Justin the other side of a back three/five.

With two big strikers on the pitch in Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha, and Joel Piroe also on the pitch, crosses needed to go in but Leeds simply didn’t have the one-v-one quality to beat a man and work the space. It left them either working the ball across their back three or crossing from deep, which Spurs found too easy to defend late on.

The Spurs boss saw his side end Leeds United's lengthy unbeaten home run on Saturday.

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Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank said his side needed mentality and character to beat a 'brave' Leeds United at Elland Road.

Spurs went in front through Mathys Tel midway through the first half having survived an early scare when Joe Rodon headed against the post. Leeds were guilty of further wastefulness in front of goal, Dominic Calvert-Lewin shooting high and wide from a great position and Sean Longstaff blasting over, but they did level through Noah Okafor's tap-in.

The second half saw Spurs in a clinical mood again, Mohammed Kudus taking advantage of Gabriel Gudmundsson's slip and sending a shot past Karl Darlow via Pascal Struijk's deflection. Tottenham had to withstand heavy Leeds pressure towards the end and Guglielmo Vicario made a couple of big saves.

"Extremely happy with the win," said Frank. "If you want to build any successful team you need mentality, character and togetherness, no matter if you play like Inter or Barcelona or whatever style of play, you need the willingness to do everything to win. We're building that more and

“more. Last 10, 18, they pushed us back and we dropped a little back. But throughout the game, until the 80th minute I was very happy. We give the goal away, which is a cross, deflected shot. And then they hit the post but it looks more dangerous than it is. That's what we gave away until the 80th minute. Very happy with that. Then we need a bit of surviving and a couple of good saves."

Frank praised his goalkeeper for a pair of important stops, one from Calvert-Lewin and the other another Longstaff effort, but he had warm words for Leeds too who made life difficult for one of the Premier League's top teams.

"I've been in the Championship for many years, I know how difficult a league it is and I always respect it," he said, addressing Leeds' unbeaten home record that stretched back into their second-tier times. "I think before this game and the same today they concede very little chances and xG [Expected Goals].

“The one [thing] that maybe is hidden a little bit today is we have five or six top situations where we flash the ball across the box and need to be there. But I want to praise Leeds, I think they were good today, difficult to play against, they defended well and were very brave on the ball."

Leeds United’s unbeaten home run came to an end on Saturday following their 2-1 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur. Noah Okafor’s first-half effort was not enough for the Whites, who conceded in either half to Mathys Tel and Mohammed Kudus.

Daniel Farke’s side started well but, for the third week running, conceded the opener when Tel’s effort deflected off Pascal Struijk and beyond Karl Darlow. Spurs’ lead lasted just 10 minutes, however, with Okafor tapping into an empty net after Brenden Aaronson’s effort was parried into his path.

Spurs re-took the lead just before the hour mark through Kudus, who took advantage of Gabriel Gudmundsson’s slip before another shot that deflected in off Struijk. Farke made several attacking changes in a bid to pull level again but Leeds struggled to create anything of note, eventually falling to defeat.

Here’s how the YEP’s chief football writer Graham Smyth rated the Leeds United players...

Leeds United took on Tottenham Hotspur at Elland Road in their final Premier League before the international break.

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An impressive Leeds United run was finally ended as finishing and a class act winger proved the difference in Saturday’s 2-1 win for Tottenham Hotspur which finished with Whites fury aimed at an official.

Leeds went into Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off having not lost at Elland Road in a year but goals from Mathys Tel and difference maker Mohammed Kudus either side of a Noah Okafor equaliser sealed three more Premier League points for Thomas Frank’s side.

United, though, had more than enough chances to bag at least a share of the spoils and the contest ended with boos and chants aimed at referee Thomas Bramall whose decisions angered the Elland Road crowd.

Leeds were denied a seventh-minute opener by the frame of the goal as new set piece menaces Sean Longstaff and Joe Rodon combined again.

One week on from providing the corner for Rodon's headed goal against Bournemouth, Longstaff sent in a beautiful free-kick to which Rodon arrived at the far post before smashing a header on to the post.

Both teams then exchanged further chances but it was Spurs who took the lead with 23 minutes on the clock through a deflected strike from Tel after a Kudus assist.

Leeds lost the ball as they looked to build an attack in centre midfield and lost it to the wrong man in Kudus who bagged yet another assist in sliding in Tel whose thumping shot deflected off Pascal Struijk before whizzing past Karl Darlow into the back of the net.

Leeds suddenly looked up against it but the Whites should have equalised four minutes later through Dominic Calvert-Lewin who seized upon a loose ball in the box but the striker could only slice a wayward finish well wide after cutting inside.

Within a minute, Spurs should then have been 2-0 up, a square ball across the Whites area picking out Kudus who also got his finish all wrong as the ball flew into the Kop.

Kudus looked like creating every time he got the ball yet Leeds drew level nine minutes before the break as a superb cross from Jayden Bogle caused mayhem in the Spurs box.

After running off an earlier knock, Calvert-Lewin got to the ball and created a shooting opportunity for Brenden Aaronson whose firm low drive was well saved by Guglielmo Vicario.

The Spurs keeper, though, parried the ball back into the area with his save and Okafor arrived like a flash to convert from close range.

The goal further increased the Elland Road noise levels and Leeds pushed hard for a second goal but Spurs went mightily close to going back ahead in stoppage time as a header from Tel was kept out by a combination of the crossbar and a fine Karl Darlow save.

Tottenham were quick into their stride after the break and Darlow had to be alert to beat away a cross-cum-shot from Pedro Porro.

Leeds, though, quickly hit back by twice going agonisngly close themselves, Okaor firstly picking out Calvert-Lewin whose firm low shot was kept out by Vicario’s legs before a fantastic low cross from Anton Stach flew through the box, narrowly missing both Bogle and Calvert-Lewin.

There were then nervy moments at the other end as Ethan Ampadu caught Pedro Porro on the edge of the box with a late challenge, for which he was booked.

Kudus stepped up to take the free-kick but wasted it as he fired his shot straight at Darlow.

Kudus, though, made no mistake a couple of minutes later, the winger beating Gudmundsson to a loose ball and cutting in from the right before unleashing a firm low drive back across goal which wrongfooted Darlow and flew into the bottom right corner after a slight deflection from Struijk.

Within minutes, Spurs almost went 3-1 ahead, as a cross from the opposite side of the box flew through the area and ultimately away to safety.

Back came Leeds, a cross from Okaor flying through the box and Rodon then sending a header over the bar from a Longstaff free-kick.

Longstaff was then a whisker away from drawing Leeds level himself, the midfielder receiving a pass from substitute Ao Tanaka on the edge of the box and turning neatly before smashing a low shot inches wide of the post.

With 11 minutes left, Farke threw on two more forwards in Joel Piroe and Lukas Nmecha as Gudmundsson and Okafor were taken off but Spurs packed men behind the ball whilst still offering a threat on the counter.

From one such counter, substitute Richarlison flashed a deflected shot across goal but only a superb save from Spurs keeper Vicario denied Leeds substitute Piroe an added time equaliser after a Calvert-Lewin knockdown.

Leeds United team news is in for Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off against Premier League visitors Tottenham Hotspur at Elland Road.

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Whites boss Daniel Farke has named his Leeds United team for Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off against Premier League visitors Tottenham Hotspur at Elland Road.

Young striker Harry Gray was the only Leeds doubt for the contest for which wingers Dan James (rolled ankle) and Willy Gnonto (calf) plus keeper Lucas Perri (quad) had already been ruled out.

Question marks surrounded the availability of teenage striker Gray after experiencing hip flexor problems ahead of the meeting against a Tottenham side featuring his older brother Archie.

Gray is not involved and Farke has named an unchanged team with just one change to his bench where Sebastiaan Bornauw replaces the injured James.

In the absence of James and Gnonto, fellow winger Jack Harrison impressed from the bench in last weekend’s 2-2 draw against Bournemouth but Harrison again takes his place amongst the substitutes as Farke sticks with Noah Okafor and Brenden Aaronson out wide.

Summer centre-back signing Jaka Bijol also stays on the bench as Farke keeps Pascal Struijk alongside Joe Rodon at the heart of the defence.

A Leeds United star has outlined his Whites record hope.

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Leeds United captain Ethan Ampadu has fired a champions warning in outlining his impressive Whites record hope ahead of Saturday’s lunchtime visit of Tottenham Hotspur.

One week on from facing Bournemouth at Elland Road, Daniel Farke’s Whites take on another highflying side with the visit of Thomas Frank’s fifth-placed Spurs side in a 12.30pm kick-off at Elland Road.

Writing in his captain’s column of the matchday programme, skipper Ampadu fired a warning about Tottenham’s strong start to the season and the matter of arriving in West Yorkshire as reigning Europa League champions.

Ampadu, though, is able to highlight an impressive record concerning his own team too - a 12-month unbeaten league record at Elland Road which the captain says will only be prolonged if showing the same character and performance levels witnessed against Bournemouth, Newcastle United and Everton.

“Which speaks for itself”

Ampadu wrote: “Today, like last weekend, we face another really tough test against Tottenham Hotspur.

“They have had a really positive start to the campaign, losing just once from their six games.

“They are the current champions of the UEFA Europa League, too, which speaks for itself.

“For ourselves, we need to show the same character and performance levels that we have done at Elland Road so far this season in our games against Everton, Newcastle United and Bournemouth in order to try to maintain our unbeaten streak here, which is over 12 months in league competition.”