It was Crysencio Summerville’s night on Monday as he returned to form with two goals and an assist against Michael Carrick’s men – putting Middlesbrough to the sword as Leeds secured a 4-3 victory.
Coming into the game, 22-year-old Summerville had dropped off in form. Despite winning the Player of the Season award, Summerville had managed two goals in his last 11 games, failing to lay on an assist.
The Netherlands U21 star was back to his best though, at The Riverside. He opened Leeds’ account from the penalty spot after Georginio Rutter won a penalty – superbly going round Boro’s Anfernee Dijksteel.
Then, he scored the winner – initially putting Leeds 4-2 up. A beautiful effort and as such, his trademark this season – cutting inside and curling into the far corner. It proved to be the winner, Leeds winning 4-3.
The stats are not good reading for Leeds man Georginio Rutter
Speaking after the match, Leeds’ U21 assistant manager Stewart Downing said that Summerville was back to his best after a run of games without finding any consistency in numbers. Just when we needed him.
But for Rutter, it was a tricky night. The Frenchman did win a penalty and that earned praise from Jon Newsome. However, that was about as good as it got for Rutter, subbed by Daniel Farke on 81 minutes.
Indeed, the stats are not good reading for Rutter. Normally heavily involved, WhoScored say Rutter only touched the ball 38 times – the third-least for Leeds, above duo Archie Gray (34) and Patrick Bamford (27).
They also report that Rutter was dispossessed five times, more than any other player on the pitch other than Boro’s Finn Azaz – who also lost it five times. Just 50% of his 14 passes, found their intended target.
What the pundits are saying about Rutter’s drop in form
With winning a penalty not technically classed as an assist, Rutter has now gone six games without producing a single goal involvement and his drop in form levels has not gone unnoticed by pundits.
Aidy White claimed before the loss to Blackburn, prior to Monday’s win over Boro, that he should be dropped for the clash against John Eustance. Don Goodman had also noticed Rutter was not at his best.
Rutter is a player that Farke cannot drop and his winning of the penalty at a crucial moment was proof of that at Boro. But, with two games left, Leeds really need to see the Rutter that has 25 goals and assists.