Spotlight on Leeds United defender Robin Koch with more to Fulham display than first meets the eye

Koch experienced a difficult Whites debut in United's Premier League opener at Liverpool as Leeds faced a menacing Reds front three of Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Bobby Firmino.

Koch looked unlucky to concede a penalty when Salah's fierce strike hit his arm and the German then conceded his second penalty in two games in Saturday's 4-3 triumph at home to Fulham.

Referee Anthony Taylor's awarding of the spot kick for Koch's sliding challenge on Joe Bryan divided opinion with the German centre-back sliding along the ground and then looking to pull out of the challenge with Bryan heading away from goal.

But the centre-back's natural momentum led to contact with Bryan, albeit very minimal contact, and when Bryan went to ground there was always every chance of Taylor pointing to the spot.

Unlucky but a risky challenge and the right decision.

That incident aside, Koch proved successful with both of his attempted tackles in a game in which Fulham basically benefitted from being afforded too much space for two of their three goals - with which 'keeper Illan Meslier might have done better - with Koch's foul leading to the penalty for the other.

Stuart Dallas and Liam Cooper were caught out as Bobby Decordova-Reid was played in behind them for Fulham's second goal while Aleksandar Mitrovic found space in between Cooper and Luke Ayling to rise above Cooper and head home the Cottagers' third with Koch initially blocking a goalbound Mitrovic effort shortly before.

That might well have been going in and likewise Michael Hector's first half header had Koch not raced across the box to get in a last-ditch headed challenge which saw the effort deflected over the bar.

Only the extremely physical Mitrovic won more aerial battles than Koch with the Fulham striker winning ten and Koch seven with Cooper next at four though Cooper only attempted six with Koch attempting 15.

But five of those were offensive aerials with Koch going close to bagging his first goal for Leeds when seeing a header tipped over the bar from a corner as part of a display in which he had two attempts at goal with the other effort off target.

Possession and passing wise, Koch had 56 touches of the ball for five per cent of the play and 38 out of 47 attempted passes were successful for a success rate of 81 per cent including one lovely ball over the top for Patrick Bamford.

Bamford proved United's best in the passing success rate department with 91 per cent.

But while a second conceded penalty took the headlines, Koch had a decent game on the figures with the German probably preventing another two goals and almost scoring one himself.

It should also be remembered that the German international was playing in his first game alongside Cooper and in only his second outing in English football and there will be much more to come from a defender who is still only 24, especially under Whites head coach Marcelo Bielsa.

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Thank you Laura Collins