OPINION
Leeds United midfielder Pablo Hernandez has placed third in the Championship Power Rankings for his performances in helping Marcelo Bielsa’s side to a third place finish in the league.
Hernandez has been a key player in Leeds’ challenge to secure automatic promotion to the Premier League, which was ended by a run of three defeats and a draw in their final four matches, and could now be set to play a crucial role in the Whites play-off bid.
The Power Rankings reported by Sky Sports, placed Hernandez behind only Birmingham’s Lukas Jutkiewicz, who topped the rankings, and Norwich City’s Teemu Pukki, who was named Player of the Year for the Championship as he helped the Canaries secure the league title.
The players featured in the Power Rankings are those who have registered the best collective numbers based on awarding points for 34 different stats, from goals and assists to blocks and tackles, explained by Sky Sports.
Hernandez’s recognition within the top three players in the Power Rankings highlights the crucial impact he has on Bielsa’s side, with the Spaniard scoring 12 goals and assisting 12 goals in the Championship this season, meaning the 34-year-old was involved in 17.52% of Leeds’ 73 league goals this season.
It will be vital that Hernandez can get back on top form, after he struggled somewhat in the last four games alongside the rest of his team-mates, if Leeds are able to regain their momentum and mount a successful push for the Premier League through the play-offs.
Leeds face Derby County in the play-off semi-finals, and Hernandez has already caused problems for the Rams this season, with the 34-year-old an instrumental figure in controlling the game in both of Bielsa’s sides wins against Derby in the regular season.
If Leeds can get Hernandez back to his best, when he is able to dictate the rhythm of the game and help create opportunities for his team-mates, they will have a much better chance of rediscovering their form and making it through the play-offs, to gain promotion back to the Premier League.