Opposition star delivers his Leeds United verdict and Whites similarity with Championship team

Third-placed Leeds approached Saturday’s Championship hosting of Coventry City having reeled off seven consecutive Elland Road victories and Daniel Farke’s Whites eventually went ahead in the 58th minute through Crysencio Summerville. Coventry, though, hit back to equalise eight minutes later through defender Bobby Thomas whose header ultimately ensured that the contest ended in a 1-1 draw.

Improving Coventry went into Saturday’s game having lost just one of their last six games via a 2-1 defeat at second-placed Ipswich Town at the start of the month. The Sky Blues bounced back from that reverse with a 2-0 win at home to Birmingham City, followed by Wednesday night’s 1-1 draw at home to a Southampton side who are now level on points with Leeds in fourth place.

Speaking post match, goalscorer Thomas highlighted comparisons between the Whites and Saints but with a declaration that Saturday’s contest was more “erratic” amid praise for Leeds and the club’s home.

“It was a hard fought point at a good place against a good team,” said Thomas in an interview for the club’s official website. "I think the last two games are pretty similar Southampton and Leeds. I think the Southampton game was a little bit more controlled and the Leeds game today was a bit more erratic, it's a lot more end to end. They are patient but not as patient as Southampton and they stretched us quite a lot but then I think that worked in our favour quite a lot as well because we had chances to make the game at times."

Pressed on Leeds applying pressure offensively, Thomas reasoned: “Yeah, most of the players were Rutter, Summerville, Piroe they were all getting in tough little pockets where we’d try and get Joel (Latibeaudiere) and Sheafo (Ben Sheaf) to try and put the fire out and give us some cover, but I thought the game plan was really good, worked well.

“They had a good period of sustained of possession within the first 20 minutes of the second half maybe first 15 where they got the goal. They had so many times to break us down it was almost inevitable how deep we were and made a change a little bit after the goal you know after being one nil down and got not much else to lose. We ended up being in a different situation where we got after it and changed the game flow and managed to get a nice goal. On another day we come out two but another day we might lose. I think we'll be happy with the point because it was well worked for and quite a neutral game in the end.”