Leeds United's youngsters stall for third-game running due to external issues in seven-goal contest

Due to injury, suspension and inclusion in this weekend’s senior squad for the FA Cup tie against Accrington Stanley, Leeds’ youngsters were without several regulars as they made the trip to Norfolk on Friday. Archie Gray, Sonny Perkins, Kris Moore, Joe Snowdon, Charlie Allen and Charlie Crew were all missing from the squad, while the recent departures of Max Dean to MK Dons and Cody Drameh on loan to Luton Town meant Skubala’s Whites were somewhat depleted.

Nevertheless, Leeds began on the front foot and were unfortunate not to win an early penalty after Darko Gyabi’s marauding run into the penalty area ended with him being felled, but not fouled. Shortly after that incident, Norwich began to command the game, exploiting Leeds’ full-backs with overloads and switches of play, getting down the sides and cutting back for Republic of Ireland international Adam Idah in the penalty area.

Leeds goalkeeper Kristoffer Klaesson turned in an impressive display, despite conceding five times by the final whistle, making stop after stop to deny an impressive-looking Norwich line-up. The Canaries featured Idah, Luxembourg international Danel Sinani, senior goalkeeper Angus Gunn, Danish midfielder Jacob Sorensen, as well as 14-cap Chile international Marcelino Nunez.

United, on the other hand, named a group made up almost entirely by players aged 18-or-under, save for a select few older Under-21s.

It was Nunez who put the hosts in front on 21 minutes, turning the ball beyond Klaesson after striking the woodwork minutes earlier. Idah added a second a quarter of an hour later, at the second attempt having seen his initial shot parried by Leeds’ Norwegian custodian.

Immediately following the away side’s kick-off, teenage defender Jeremiah Mullen was caught in possession on the edge of his own box, leaving Marcelino with just Klaesson between him and the goal. Instinctively, Mullen hauled back the 22-year-old South American and was deemed to have done so inside the penalty area.

Nine-goal forward Abu Kamara stepped up to make it three-nil from the spot before half-time, leaving Skubala’s young team with a mountain to climb.

After the break, the former England youth team coach turned to Connor Douglas from the substitutes’ bench, staffed exclusively by Under-18s. He was introduced with just over thirty minutes remaining but managed to find the back of the net twice late on. However, Douglas only managed to do so after Norwich had surged into an unassailable 5-0 lead by the 74th minute mark.

Kamara and Marcelino were the hosts’ two second half goalscorers before Douglas reduced the arrears with two well-taken goals on his Under-21s debut.

Leeds are expected to welcome back Archie Gray in the coming weeks, while Sonny Perkins was absent due to first-team involvement this weekend.

The young Whites remain one point off top-of-the-table Southampton in Premier League 2 Division 2.

Leeds United XI: Klaesson, Mullen, Debayo, Spencer (Buchan 82’), Ferguson, Gyabi, Coleman, McGurk (Toulson 90’), Wilson, McFadden (Douglas 57’), Joseph © (Andreucci 82’)

Unused subs: Christy (GK)

Norwich City XI: Gunn, Clarke, Warner (McIntosh 88’), Hills, McCallum (Stewart 64’), Sorensen (Brooke 60’), Gibbs, Sinani, Nunez, Kamara, Idah

Unused subs: Watt, Dickson-Peters