All eyes are now on Dominic Calvert-Lewin at Leeds United. The striker has huge pressure to prove prolific for his new club.
Defensively, Leeds United have looked relatively steady this season. Bar that 5-0 defeat against Arsenal last month, Daniel Farke’s side have kept two clean sheets in their opening three Premier League matches.
Neither Everton nor Newcastle United really threatened Leeds at Elland Road, so it certainly looks as though Farke’s defensive and midfield signings have improved the side at that end of the pitch.
But at the other end, not so much. The Whites have just one goal to their name in their opening three games in the league, and that was a Lukas Nmecha penalty in the 1-0 win over Everton on the opening day.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has had a mixed start to life at Leeds, too. But the former Everton man now has huge pressure to score the goals this season, after Leeds United failed to sign any new players on deadline day.
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty ImagesLeeds United’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin plan shared
It was clear that Leeds needed strikers this summer. Eventually, Farke signed two in Calvert-Lewin and Nmecha, but both have patchy injury records to say the least. Leeds United though are hoping that improvements to the club’s facilities and their existing medical staff can keep both players, specifically Calvert-Lewin, fit throughout the campaign.
Leeds Live report that ‘£250,000 has been invested into the wet room and sauna area for muscle recovery’, with two new gymnasiums and a ‘revamped medical area’ funded by the owners.
The same report also adds that ‘boardroom sources have outlined their steadfast faith in the club’s medical staff’, pointing out how the likes of Manor Solomon stayed fit throughout last season, with Ilia Gruev and Junior Firpo returning fit after long injury lay-offs.
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Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s injury record at Everton is very worrying
Few doubt that Calvert-Lewin has been a good Premier League player in the past. He has a record of 57 goals in 240 Premier League games with 18 assists on top of that too.
But too often he’s not been available, and he’s had patchy spells in front of goal which is no doubt a symptom of him having injuries so often.
Speaking recently, pundit Jon Newsome gave his verdict on Calvert-Lewin and the pressure he now has on his shoulders, saying: “You bring in Dominic Calvert-Lewin who I think we all know is a very good footballer but we’ve got to keep him fit.
“If we can and he starts getting minutes and starts excelling that’s great, but I do think we need a little bit more back-up. So, I’m disappointed ultimately that they haven’t brought anyone in.”
Keeping Calvert-Lewin fit is one thing: if the Leeds staff can do that then they’ll have done their job. But getting him firing in front of goal is another thing and that’s a tough job for Farke and for Calvert-Lewin too.