Leeds United 'divas' comment in clearest clue yet of Brenden Aaronson's selection fate

Goals and assists continue to flow from all but one part of Leeds United’s attack, making it hard to ignore Brenden Aaronson as a candidate for the chop. And yet, there is so much more to his role in Daniel Farke’s system than goals and assists, as the manager proudly proclaimed in a defence of the American’s importance.

Largie Ramazani’s return to fitness in an already crowded battle for starts down the flanks has naturally led to considering how Farke fits more of those talents into the team. The statistics would suggest Aaronson is not doing enough as a central cog in the division’s best attack, but Farke’s latest assessment would suggest there is little chance of him being supplanted any time soon.

On Sunday, for example, Aaronson covered more distance than any player in any Championship game this season, according to the German. That work rate, stamina, resilience and determination is holding the front four together.

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“He is always unbelievable from his workload,” said Farke. “In the last game (Swansea), he was there with the highest distance in the whole league of any player in any game.

“He's so crucial for us because we have many players who make things happen, more or less out of winger positions or pocket positions, we have our creativity from the wing and our quality with goals and assists and we need, in the centre of the park, a player who also covers lots of distance. That’s what he always delivers.

“He could have been a bit more tidy on the ball in the recent weeks. Today (against Luton Town), he brought himself into many good and interesting positions and I liked it a lot.

“He was crucial also for our game. I would have wished he would have been perhaps there with a goal or with an assist. It's always good for the confidence of my offensive players, but, overall, he's a crucial and important player for us.”

Farke did not want to be too critical of his other attackers, but could not help himself calling them divas or, more sensitively, starlets. Either way, their disappointment when they lose possession is compensated by the drive of Aaronson to pick up the pieces and return possession to them.

They are the small moments Farke likes from the American and why, it seems, the prospect of a winger starting through the centre tomorrow seems quite remote.

“Also, with his ability to win the ball back when one of the offensive, I don't want to be too critical, divas, starlets or whatever, lose the ball and show a bit disappointment,” he said. “Then Brenden runs after the ball and wins the ball back for them.

“We need this attitude and he's also a role model for how we are not the finished end product. [He is] sometimes there with a mistake, but with a big heart and big identification with this club, big resilience and big belief and gives everything for the group.

“This is what we are all about at the moment. This is also the reason why we are there with such consistency and good results.”