Remarkable stat highlights Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier’s improvement

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Like many of his Leeds United teammates, Illan Meslier looked to have a point to prove following the Whites’ promotion to the Premier League.

Meslier made 11 appearances while on loan at Leeds. He managed to keep seven clean sheets in those games. Nevertheless, there remained questions for the 20-year-old to answer following his initial run in the side.

The Frenchman stepped up whenever he was called upon in the Championship. But it did appear that he was rarely needed during the final weeks of the season. He certainly seemed to be a lot busier with his feet than with his hands.

Unfortunately, Leeds’s defence did not make the best start to life back in the top flight. The Whites conceded four goals at Liverpool and three against Fulham.

And Meslier – whose loan became a £5 million permanent move in the summer (via Leeds Live) – came in for a little criticism. He would have surely felt that he should have done better for Virgil van Dijk’s goal at Anfield, as well as Aleksandar Mitrovic’s header a week later. And in truth, he will have been disappointed not to keep out Mitrovic’s penalty given how close he got to it.

The criticism never seemed to reach a level where fans were asking for Meslier to be dropped. But the supporters would have been forgiven for perhaps wondering if it was just a little too soon for the youngster to be an undisputed first-choice at the highest level.

Meslier’s distribution has regularly been outstanding. And his teammates clearly have no qualms playing the ball back to him, even if it seems like he may be under a little pressure.

But his decision-making came under scrutiny after those opening two games.

However, any doubts about Meslier’s readiness for the number one spot have been quashed emphatically in more recent times.

Remarkable defensive record in last four games

That is because since beating Fulham 4-3, Leeds boast a remarkable defensive record. They have conceded just two goals across their last four games.

In fact, no team has conceded fewer goals in their last four. Southampton have conceded three. West Ham have let in four.

The top two meanwhile, have conceded nine and 11 respectively.

And in that time, Meslier’s distribution has remained superb. It was, of course, his stunning pass out to Stuart Dallas that started the move that led to Patrick Bamford’s hat-trick-clinching goal on Friday.

It should no longer be a surprise when players make vast improvements in a short space of time under Bielsa.

And it would be unfair to only judge Meslier based on the goals Leeds concede. But it is surely fair to say that he has stepped up after a tough couple of games.

Leeds’s outstanding record in the last four games certainly helps illustrate that.