Leeds United snatched defeat from the jaws of victory this afternoon, as a late Rodrigo Bentancur brace saw Tottenham Hotspur run out 4-3 winners over Jesse Marsch’s side in what was a pulsating encounter in north London.
For all the negativity that will surround that frustrating collapse, there were no doubt still notable positives to take from the game as a whole, with the Whites boss likely to have been pleased to see Crysencio Summerville and Rodrigo continue their stunning goalscoring form, with the pair having netted in each of their past four Premier League games.
That devastating duo were not the only stars from the forward line, however, with summer signing Brenden Aaronson showcasing his quality once again in his playmaking role, having made a bright start to life at Elland Road thus far.
The former Red Bull Salzburg starlet – who arrived in Yorkshire on a £24.7m deal in the recent window – had gone into the game having only recently earned an inclusion in USA’s squad for the upcoming World Cup, with followers of his nation likely to have been pleased to see him sign off for his club with a strong showing.
The 22-year-old’s most telling contribution came early on to tee up the aforementioned Summerville for the away side’s opener – the youngster’s third goal involvement of the season so far – while also producing a “superb” through ball, in the words of journalist Beren Cross, to set up the Dutchman again, only for the winger to see his effort saved by Hugo Lloris.
Having not recorded a goal or an assist since the draw with Everton back in August, such an impact was no doubt vital for the player’s confidence, with that again set to be a positive as he looks to showcase his quality on the Global stage in the coming weeks.
The 5-foot-10 sensation did also catch the eye with his all-round display after registering two key passes from his 54 touches, while also recording two tackles and one interception, as well as winning two fouls.
While Aaronson did lose possession 11 times against Antonio Conte’s side, that is perhaps to be expected of a player in such a creative berth, with it seemingly a positive to see the American gem trying to take risks against such elite opposition.
The one-time Philadelphia Union man will no doubt be fully aware that he will need to bolster his attacking contributions moving forward when club action resumes at the end of December, although in the short term the exciting talent can head to Qatar on a personal high, despite the collective disappointment of defeat.
