Leeds United reject Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter fear as year-on-year progress revealed

United have created more, and better, chances whilst conceding fewer this season. At both ends of the pitch, the team has delivered, even if performances have been, as yet, not wholly convincing.

In recent weeks, Leeds have beaten Sheffield Wednesday and Hull City each by two goals to nil, which has lifted Daniel Farke's side to fourth in the Championship table. At the same stage last season, Leeds were 13th after four matches having picked up one win from their opening four fixtures.

United remain unbeaten in the league during their start to 2024/25, boasting the third-highest Expected Goals (xG) in the division and the second-lowest Expected Goals Conceded (xGC), according to Opta.

Despite an acknowledgement that individually, Leeds' defence - particularly the right-hand side - hasn't operated as effectively as it did last term, the Whites have allowed less than half the xGC conceded at the same stage of last season.

United's xGC this term is a mere 2.57, which works out at around 0.64 per game. In 2023/24, that figure was much higher, standing at 5.65. It goes some way to explaining why Leeds have registered three clean sheets from their opening four matches this season, whilst failing to keep a single shut-out until gameweek five last time around.

Leeds' own xG is another indicator which suggests the loss of Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter may not be as damaging as feared. The Whites have accrued 6.76 xG from their opening four fixtures, greater than the 5.59 xG managed during their first four games of 2023/24.

Given that xG measures the quality of chances created, attributing a numerical value to each individual chance which determines the probability any given shot results in a goal, an uptick on last season suggests Leeds are still creating an adequate number of chances for a side seeking to challenge for promotion.

Granted, four games into the season is too small a sample size to make a sweeping judgement and prediction on how 2024/25 will go as a whole - after all, there are still 42 games remaining, during some of which, things will inevitably not go Leeds' way. But, Farke's insistence that the team are on a good path appears to hold up, in the numbers at least.

If Leeds can maintain the level of consistency shown so far, which some might even deem insufficient due to the nature of performances, the numbers suggest they will be there or thereabouts come the end of the campaign.

Elland Road is yet to witness the fullness of Largie Ramazani, Ao Tanaka, Isaac Schmidt and Manor Solomon's contributions, even if the latter did demonstrate game-changing ability with an assist from nothing for the opener against Hull at the weekend.

Meanwhile, summer signing Jayden Bogle is yet to truly find his feet in a white shirt but there is every chance he will the more exposure he has to Farke's methods and the team's way of playing. And, if Joe Rodon's performance level can return to the consistency shown throughout 2023/24, coupled with the seamless transition back to regular minutes for Pascal Struijk and the first-rate form of Junior Firpo, there is a real possibility the defensive foundation upon which Leeds' promotion hopes rest can prove instrumental to achieving the club's goals come the end of the campaign.