Opposition manager casts 'Championship' verdict on Leeds United side featuring Mateusz Klich

Leeds United were knocked out of the Papa John’s Trophy on Tuesday after failing to defeat League Two opponents Crewe Alexandra. Michael Skubala named several first-team players in his Leeds starting line-up as the two sides played out a 0-0 draw, before Leeds lost the subsequent penalty shootout 2-1, in which six straight spot-kicks were missed.

Skubala admitted the dressing room was disappointed after suffering elimination at the group stage by a single point and that he felt the team could have competed on multiple fronts, had they qualified for the knockout rounds.

Following the nil-nil draw and their shootout victory, Crewe boss Alex Morris cast his verdict on the Leeds side which featured first-team trio Mateusz Klich, Junior Firpo and Joe Gelhardt, as well as recent debutant Willy Gnonto, 12-goal striker Mateo Joseph, summer signing Sonny Perkins and former Celtic defender Leo Hjelde.

“We had a really young team, a couple made their debuts, and they put out the strongest U21s team I’ve ever seen fielded in this competition.

“It was full of players who have played at the top level and internationally, so the experience was there for us to have, and the outcome was positive,” Morris told Crewe’s official website.

“If we’d have gone toe-to-toe with them and tried to play the football they played, we’d have got a resounding beating,” the coach admitted.

“Their team could probably compete in the low-end Championship, top-end League One. We defended magnificently and stuck to the plan.

“The boys were rewarded by winning the tie on penalties – even though it might have been the worst shootout I’ve ever seen!”

Only three of the ten penalty kicks were converted in the ensuing shootout, with Polish international Klich the only Leeds player to find the net.