Here are your Leeds United evening headlines on Wednesday, March 15.
Javi Gracia under fire over Wilfried Gnonto use
Former Leeds United goalkeeper Paul Robinson has claimed there is "no explanation" for Wilfried Gnonto's lack of game time under Javi Gracia.
After being named in Gracia's starting XI for his first game in charge during the 1-0 win over Southampton at Elland Road, the 19-year-old has only featured off the bench during the subsequent Premier League matches against Chelsea and Brighton.
At such a young age, Gnonto has already shown his talent following his arrival in the summer from FC Zurich. Yet the games against Chelsea and Brighton have seen Crysencio Summerville favoured over the teenager by Gracia, something that Robinson cannot come to terms with.
READ MORE: Patrick Vieira 'feeling the pressure' as Crystal Palace join Leeds United in relegation battle
"The big one, for me, is Gnonto,” Robinson told Sky Sports News. "He’s been the best player in a Leeds shirt this season until the manager’s come in… No explanation…
“He’s been the best player in a Leeds shirt since his emergence into the team. Very direct, he’s a real goal threat – whether he’s coming in off the left or the right-hand side.
"He’s played Crysencio Summerville instead of him in a three in behind Patrick Bamford and he’s used him as an impact sub. And the time that he did play him, he brought him off.
“One of Leeds’ biggest problems this season has been conceding goals. Whether that’s something that he didn’t like, his defensive qualities or he didn’t like where he fitted into his system."
Tony Mowbray makes Joe Gelhardt 'burden' claim
Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray has claimed that the Black Cats will not drop Leeds United loanee Joe Gelhardt over his poor run of form at the Stadium of Light, as he admitted that the forward's "confidence is pretty low at the moment".
Gelhardt has not had the easiest of times during his loan spell at Sunderland. A day after signing for the Championship side, the 20-year-old would have the rest of the season flipped upside down following a campaign-ending injury to the Black Cats' top scorer Ross Stewart.
The Leeds man now finds himself as the club's only recognised striker and faces the weight of leading the line for Mowbray's side in their play-off push resting squarely on his shoulders. Gelhardt's only goal on Wearside so far has come in a 2-1 defeat to Rotherham United as he still looks to click into gear and settle into life in the north east.
Read what the Sunderland boss had to say in full right here.
The Leeds United players selected for upcoming international break
Leeds United will have a number of their squad in action during the upcoming international break.
The Premier League will pause after the conclusion of this weekend's matches until the beginning of April as players once again team up with their national squads. The latest round of European Championship qualifiers will see countries start to prepare for the 2024 Euros in Germany next year.
England will of course be looking to go one step further than their Wembley heartbreak against Italy in 2021, where the Three Lions agonisingly lost on penalty shoot-outs during the final in the nation's capital.
Find out which Whites have received a national team call-up right here.
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