Tyler Roberts on big reasons for Leeds United exit, point to prove and major double breakthrough

Wales international forward Roberts is three months into his season long-loan at Championship outfit Queens Park Rangers and the striker enjoyed a double dose of major firsts in Saturday's clash at Bristol City.

The 23-year-old bagged his first full match for either QPR or Leeds since last December at the weekend as part of a contest in which the Wales international also netted his first Rs league goal.

The forward's strike in the 22nd-minute proved the winning goal as part of a 2-1 victory and Roberts says his loan move offered the opportunity to fulfil objectives on more than one front.

The striker suffered a big setback in just new Whites boss Jesse Marsch's second game in charge of Leeds at the start of March when rupturing a hamstring tendon in the closing stages of the 1-0 defeat at Leicester City.

Roberts then had successful surgery but admits he had been a "fringe player" at Leeds and that player departures and arrivals at United were always on the cards under a new boss in the summer.

“I had been injured as soon as the new manager came in so he hadn’t really seen me play,” said Roberts about his loan departure, as quoted by West London Sport.

“Throughout the summer, with the way we ended last season, they were always going to get in new players and then give the manager his own transfer window.

“I was just one of the fringe players.

"I wasn’t pushed out.

"It was a mutual agreement to go and get my games and prove to people I can stay fit and score goals.”

Roberts did just that at the weekend as his strike helped his side to a victory that moved Michael Beale's side up to fifth place in the Championship table.

Roberts saw his start to the season at QPR disrupted by a thigh injury this summer but said: "You always get a few niggles when you have a bad injury so it has been a bit stop-start since I’ve been here.

“That’s probably the worst thing for me because I am someone who just wants to go – the physios will tell you that.

“I have just been on to them about doing more but I am happy to come through that and it was my first 90 minutes in God knows how long.

“The coaches here keep telling me to get into the box.

"As a striker that is where you are going to get most of your goals.

“That is something I have to get better at and the game proved to me that by just getting in there you will get those tap-ins.

“Those are the type of chances you need for your first goal, no time to think about it."