‘Unreal’: Ben Parker blown away by Leeds under-23 ace’s latest display

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Ben Parker has told the LS11 Podcast that Joe Gelhardt was unreal during Leeds United’s under-23 side’s dramatic defeat to Newcastle United on Friday.

Mark Jackson’s side looked to be cruising towards to an emphatic win. They had gone 3-0 up during the first-half. However, the Magpies produced a stunning comeback.

It was a disappointing end to the game for the Whites. But Gelhardt seemed to stake another claim for a chance with Marcelo Bielsa’s first-team – particularly in the first-half.

The forward set up Leeds’s opener with an outstanding run – that included nutmegging Henri Saivet – and added their third from the spot.

And Parker insisted that he was, once again, blown away by what he saw from the teenager in the defeat.

“Joe Gelhardt, first-half, he was unreal again. What a talent he is,” he told the LS11 Podcast. “If you see the first goal for Liam McCarron, he’s nutmegged one of their players who I think got bought for £5 million, a Senegalese international.

“He’s broken forward, got the ball down to the byline, cut it back for McCarron and he’s smashed it in.”

TBR View: Gelhardt cannot be far from first-team chance

It is easy to get carried away about Gelhardt’s potential when you watch the under-23s in action. But it is difficult to imagine Bielsa not being extremely impressed by what he is seeing from the summer signing.

It is asking a lot to expect Gelhardt to put real pressure on the likes of Rodrigo and Pablo Hernandez. But with games set to come thick and fast over the coming weeks, it would surely be little surprise if he got a chance to be on the bench at some stage.

He may not be quite ready to establish himself in the senior side. But he is proving that he has the piece of magic up his sleeve that could make him incredibly useful to the first-team if he is given an opportunity.