Spotlight on Niall Huggins as versatile Leeds United youngster makes his Whites debut against Arsenal

NIALL Huggins was handed his Leeds United debut in Sunday's 4-2 defeat at Arsenal and quickly looked to make an impression in centre midfield.
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The versatile Huggins has been excelling for United's under-23s, be it as a left back, left wing back or in centre midfield.

With 37 minutes remaining of Sunday's Premier League clash at Arsenal, the 20-year-old Wales youth international was then selected as head coach Marcelo Bielsa's final substitute with Leeds 4-0 down.

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Huggins replaced Gjanni Alioski and was brought on into centre midfield as Stuart Dallas shifted over to left back in Alioski's place.

The debutante quickly became involved and showed bright pace to reach an overhit Gunners corner and clear down the right flank.

Two minutes later, Huggins then burst forward down the opposite flank as an option on the overlap for Raphinha on a Whites counter.

Raphinha opted to shoot and subsequently earned Leeds a corner from which Pascal Struijk scored.

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Seven minutes later, Huggins was interestingly the last man back at a Whites counter but calmly received the ball as the Gunners cleared and then looked to begin a second phase of play.

DEBUT: For Niall Huggins, above, pictured before Sunday's Premier League clash at the Emirates. Photo by Adam Davy - Pool/Getty Images.DEBUT: For Niall Huggins, above, pictured before Sunday's Premier League clash at the Emirates. Photo by Adam Davy - Pool/Getty Images.
DEBUT: For Niall Huggins, above, pictured before Sunday's Premier League clash at the Emirates. Photo by Adam Davy - Pool/Getty Images.

A cross from the right was then collected by Arsenal 'keeper Bernd Leno and Huggins then spent a lot of the remainder of the game on that side of the pitch.

After a quieter ten minutes but still with plenty of movement, Huggins then fed a fine pass through for Luke Ayling whose low cross from the byline was scrambled clear by the Gunners.

In total, Wales under-21s international Huggins had 22 touches of the ball and 15 of his 17 attempted passes were accurate for a passing success rate of 88 per cent.

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That figure was the joint-third best of any player during the match.

The youngster was brought on facing a potentially very difficult debut yet impressed in the middle of the park and now gives Bielsa options in various positions with a first outing under his belt.

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