Former Leeds United and England goalkeeper addresses 'harsh' Illan Meslier criticism as experience point made

Former Leeds United goalkeeper Nigel Martyn believes Illan Meslier should have done better with Adam Armstrong’s decisive play-off final goal but insists the youngster has been harshly criticised.

Leeds suffered Championship play-off heartbreak at Wembley last month with Armstrong’s first-half finish securing a 1-0 win and return to the Premier League for Southampton. The Saints forward capitalised on space left behind Ethan Ampadu before sliding a clinical finish beyond Meslier and into the far bottom corner.

Meslier’s form at Leeds has divided opinion this season, with a spate of top-class saves often followed with slack errors or poor passing. It’s easy to forget the French youth international is still only 24-years-old but Martyn has suggested that the number of top-level games played means a lack of experience can no longer be used as an explanation for any mistakes.

"I think, in all honesty, as the goalkeeper, it's a position you do get a bit of flack but I think certainly what I always try to do is be very honest about my performance," Martyn told BestBettingSites.co.uk. "So, if I let in a goal that I think I should have saved or done better with, I'll voice that straight away to my teammates, to the manager, I'll go in and apologise and go sorry, that isn't good enough.

For the latest Leeds United summer headlines delivered to your inbox - sign up for our free and exclusive newsletter.

"On the flip side, if you play really well, I just keep my mouth shut and get on with it. There's obviously more outlets, and there are more ways to vent your frustration. In my time it was more on the day, you would get the grief and if you deserved it, you deserved it and that's part of being a goalie, but you just work hard and you come back for the next game. It's harsh, he [Meslier] is young, but he's played, I don't know, 200-odd games now, probably or more, so the experience has got to be there.

"Technically on the goal, to go where Adam Armstrong finishes, and he finished well, but to go the way that Illan did that day, I think he might reflect on that and think I possibly shouldn't have got into the position I got into to try and make that save. There was enough distance there for reaction to happen and not try and get into that block position, which is a good position when the player is a lot closer to you."

Meslier’s future has long been subject to speculation and once again this summer, his name has surfaced in transfer reports. The Leeds shot-stopper has been linked with a move to Newcastle United, who have made signing a goalkeeper one of their top priorities amid ongoing injury issues for Nick Pope.

With Leeds making no secret of the need to raise funds and adhere to profitability and sustainability rules, any exit will ideally bring in a decent profit and a potential sale of Meslier would likely do that. Having initially spent a season on loan, the goalkeeper only cost £5m as a 20-year-old back in 2020 and would likely at least double that.