'Every defeat should hurt' - Leeds United Under-23s left with positives after 'naive' Tottenham defeat

Mark Jackson believed Leeds United Under-23s were punished for some ‘naivety’ against Tottenham Hotspur - but added there were plenty of positives for the Whites to take.

Jackson’s Under-23s hosted Spurs at Thorp Arch on Monday afternoon in their first Premier League 2 home game of the 2021/22 campaign.

United dominated large parts of the affair but were hit for four goals by Spurs, with visiting striker Dilan Markanday putting in a clinical display to seal a first-half hat-trick.

The Whites fell two goals behind early on but hauled themselves level after Joe Gelhardt and Sam Greenwood - who converted from the penalty spot - found the back of the net.

Tottenham regained the lead in injury-time of the opening period before being penned inside their own box for the majority of the second half.

Gelhardt hit the bar and substitute Crysencio Summerville made his presence felt from the bench - utilising his pace to open up the visitors down the right.

Spurs, though, sealed a 4-2 victory and all three points 17 minutes from time through Nile John after an impressive counter-attack.

“We’ll take a lot of positives from that game,” Jackson told the YEP post-match.

“We showed our style, how we want to replicate the first team and play with intensity and quality. I thought the boys did that for the most part and it was just a bit of naivety at times.

“They [Tottenham] were clinical. I think we could’ve done better with all the goals. Even at half-time I was in full belief we could come back and win the game.

“The goal at the other end for us was a bit of a sucker blow and it knocked us back.”

Asked about his side’s unfamiliarity with defeat having lost just four games in the whole of last season’s promotion term, Jackson added: “We have stepped up but we’re fully confident in our players to cope with this level of football. We have full trust and belief in them.

"Every defeat should hurt. It hurts staff and players but after every game you analyse it and break it down and look at what can be made better. You also look at the positives and there were plenty of those.

"We'll spend time feeding that back to the players. It's ultimately about learning and development."