Dorigo lauds Rasmus Kristensen’s performance in Leeds loss

Add as preferred source on Google

Tony Dorigo has told the Yorkshire Evening Post that Rasmus Kristensen had his best 45 minute performance since his move to Leeds United in their defeat to Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Jesse Marsch’s men endured a hugely disappointing afternoon at Selhurst Park. Leeds were looking for their first win at the ground since 2006.

However, the early stages suggested that that run may be about to come to an end. Brenden Aaronson did brilliantly to create the opportunity which led to Pascal Struijk giving Leeds the lead.

Leeds remained on top for a while longer. But Palace were able to get themselves back into the game. And the Whites could not stem the tide, with the Eagles scoring in either half.

The winner felt somewhat inevitable by the time Ebere Eze danced with ease past Liam Cooper before finding the bottom corner.

Kristensen produced his best performance for Leeds

There were some positives for Leeds. And Dorigo suggested that Kristensen has not yet been better than he was during the first-half against Patrick Vieira’s men.

“We started so well and kept their dangermen extremely quiet. It’s difficult to recall much joy for Wilfried Zaha, Eberechi Eze and Jordan Ayew in those opening stages,” he told the Yorkshire Evening Post.

“They couldn’t play through the thirds because our closing down was superb and when we won the ball back in those areas, as Jesse Marsch wants us to, we found space and did well to produce dangerous moments. The disappointment is that we only took one chance, because we deserved to be one or two ahead at half-time.

“Rasmus Kristensen had the best 45 minutes he’s played, he timed his runs forward a lot better and was never really exposed, defending Wilfried Zaha extremely well.”

Kristensen has not had the easiest time since arriving at Leeds. He appeared to be a very exciting signing, having scored a number of goals for Red Bull Salzburg last season.

However, the Dane has struggled to make any sort of impact in the final third so far. And, perhaps more worryingly, some of his defending has been poor.

So the prospect of Kristensen coming up against Wilfried Zaha may have concerned some Leeds fans.

But there is no doubt that Kristensen did brilliantly up against Zaha. Obviously, there were times when Zaha got the better of him the right-back. But the large majority of the game saw Kristensen contain the forward extremely well.

That will be little consolation for Leeds. But it is an encouraging sign moving forwards.