Leeds United teenager reveals end of season goal as first-team struggle to find the net

On the eve of one of Leeds’ most important fixtures of the season, the club’s Under-21s played out another high-scoring affair in Premier League 2. Teenage striker Mateo Joseph netted three times against Middlesbrough’s youngsters – his third hat-trick of the season after similar triples versus Derby County and Stoke City – as the young Whites came from behind to win 4-2 and maintain their unbeaten run in the league.

At first-team level, the side have failed to find the net in three of their last four matches and face a buoyant Fulham side at Elland Road this afternoon. With striker Patrick Bamford yet to find the net this season, Rodrigo struggling to rediscover early season form and Joe Gelhardt starved of meaningful involvement, fans will be hoping the team can take a leaf out of the Under-21s’ book against the Craven Cottage club.

Speaking after his latest hat-trick, centre-forward Mateo Joseph told LUTV his aims for the end of the season: “Let's see if we can keep going and win the league,” the 19-year-old said with a grin. “The team did well in the second half, [but] we have to fix some things in the first half. I think we didn't play well, we have to change if we want to win the league.”

Leeds’ Under-21s are currently six points clear atop Premier League 2 Division 2’s standings having won seven and drawn one this season. West Bromwich Albion and Southampton can reduce that gap to five and three points, respectively, if they are able to win their games in hand. But, with forty per cent of the PL2 Division 2 campaign already complete, United are in the driving seat for an immediate return to PL2’s top flight, which Joseph made no secret in sharing that it is the team’s end-of-season goal.