Forget Rodrigo: Leeds "athlete" who won 75% duels was Bielsa's shining light v Everton - opinion

Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United missed a fantastic opportunity to push themselves clear of a relegation scrap against Everton on Saturday afternoon, with Frank Lampard’s side running out 3-0 winners against the Whites – a result which leaves the Elland Road faithful just six points above the drop zone.

However, while both the result and overall performance will be a difficult one for Leeds fans to stomach, there were nevertheless a couple of bright sparks for Bielsa on Saturday afternoon. Rodrigo looked very lively behind Dan James in the Whites’ attack, with the Spaniard twice smashing the woodwork with spectacular long-range efforts. Another plus was the surprise appearance of 18-year-old Leo Hjelde, who replaced the injured Stuart Dallas after just nine minutes.

Indeed, over the course of his 81 minutes on the pitch, the Norway under-21 international was imperious in defence for the Whites, making two clearances, three interceptions and four tackles and blocking two shots – one of which was a goal-saving stop from Richarlison, who had the Leeds goal at his mercy.

Furthermore, the £270k-rated defender – who John Hughes, his former manager at Ross County, dubbed an “athlete” – also won six of his eight duels (a success rate of 75%), enjoyed 73 touches of the ball and attempted two crosses and eight long balls.

These returns saw the summer signing earn an impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.0, ranking him as Bielsa’s joint-second best performer in the match – a commendable feat considering the final scoreline and the 18-year-old’s inexperience at this level.

The injury sustained by Dallas will certainly be a huge cause for concern for all involved with the club, but should Hjelde be able to maintain this level of form