Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson has revealed his concerns over Leeds United’s first-team goalkeeper Illan Meslier after he recently picked up an injury.
Meslier has started every single Premier League game for Leeds this season in the Premier League and has managed to keep three clean sheets. He signed permanently for Leeds from FC Lorient at the start of last season and started 35 times in a successful Premier League campaign for the Whites.
The French goalkeeper was forced off in the 55th minute in their recent victory over Wolves due to injury, with Kristoffer Klaesson coming on in his place. It is uncertain as to how long the injury will see him sidelined.
After Meslier became the latest man to the extended casualty list at Leeds, Robinson, speaking to MOT Leeds News, highlighted how big of a miss he will be for Jesse Marsch if he was to miss a period of games.
He said: “I still think they’ve got a lot of work to do. The injury list is worrying and the one for Meslier is the most worrying for me.
“Klaesson is untried and untested and this was my worry from the beginning of the season, if anything would happen to Meslier, they haven’t got another experienced goalkeeper.
“Klaesson’s a young lad who’s never had experience in the Premier League and he’s going to get thrown into the deep end if Meslier’s not fit to play.
“It’s been my worry all season. Meslier’s done outstandingly well again but without him, it’s going to be a real strain as there’s no strength in depth in the goalkeeping area.
“Meslier’s going to be a huge miss.”
TIF Thoughts on Paul Robinson’s comments…
Meslier has been the goalkeeper of a poor Leeds side this campaign, as they find themselves well amongst a Premier League scrap to stay up, but he has produced some impressive performances for his side, averaging a match rating of 6.91 over the past 12 months in the Premier League.
Despite impressing in a Leeds shirt this season, he is the ‘keeper of the side that has conceded the most Premier League goals this campaign, but it could be argued it is not solely down to the Frenchman. Leeds have had serious injuries, including to club captain Liam Cooper, whose absence has coincided with the Whites backline leaking goals.