Michael Brown slammed Leeds United goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell as “fragile” and insisted he “got away with it” in Saturday’s 1-0 win against Sheffield United.
The Elland Road number one kept a clean sheet as Leeds chalked up their first win at Bramall Lane since 1992 through a late Pablo Hernandez goal.
But former Leeds midfielder Brown highlighted Peacock-Farrell as a weak link and explained how the home side deliberately tried to ramp up the pressure on him.
“They have targeted him as they know he is a bit fragile and low on confidence,” Brown told Sky Sports’ football channel’s live coverage of the derby. “He’s got away with it today, he’s got to learn, it’s about that maturity.
“He needs to know when and how and where. Over time, he will realise when to go and when not to go.”
OPINION
Peacock-Farrell is a goalkeeper who veers from the sublime to the ridiculous and back again almost by the minute, and a second consecutive clean sheet from the 22-year-old should not mask the fact that he was very shaky for much of the game against a fine Sheffield United side. There was some poor decision-making from the Northern Ireland international in terms of his positioning, particularly when coming off his goalline for crosses and high balls. But there were also a few excellent saves as the home side made sure to test him from distance, an area where the youngster has been found wanting often this season. Ironically, it was a calamitous error from the Sheffield keeper Dean Henderson which ultimately proved decisive. But that will not stop Leeds’ search for a quality new shot-stopper in the January window. Peacock-Farrell has great potential but he is a long way from the finished product.