The character we’ve shown in our last few games has been exceptional and, certainly at home at least, we look like a top 10 side.
Our away form has improved slightly as well. Now undefeated in two, albeit with a couple of draws; certainly this will inspire confidence. Brentford are a hard team to beat at their place and, even though I thought we could nick a win, after a superb couple of games against Chelsea and Liverpool, to not lose, was great.
It was the Sunderland game that I was slightly disappointed by. I, probably like many others thought that with them having players at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON), we had a good chance of picking up what would have been a very nice three points.
A point was still good as we took our unbeaten record to five games, though I can’t help feeling that if we played in the first half like we did in the second, we could have picked up a win. We absolutely dominated the second period and for me, Dominic Calvert-Lewin just keeps getting better. That’s six goals in seven games and I think he looks unstoppable at the minute – in fact, I’d say there’s way more to come.
Against Crystal Palace at home; wow. I think after our recent performances before that, we had that in us and clubs will fear us at Elland Road for the rest of the season. Calvert-Lewin looked class and yet again, it was a superb squad performance against a club that, until that point, had the best recent away record in the Premier League.
A Big Week To Start 2026 Before A Day Out In The FA Cup
Now, we have another big week to look forward to. Three games in seven days against some ‘big clubs’. Remember the last time that happened and everyone feared for it? Apart from the opening 45 minutes against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, we have been a completely different prospect, obviously this coinciding with a half-time system switch at Eastlands which has more or less stuck.
This 532 will cause our next three opponents problems. Liverpool who we proved to be more than a match for a couple of weeks ago at Elland Road will be wary of us and I think we can get something at Anfield.
Indeed, the last time we played there, it was Crysencio Summerville who won it for us with, more or less the last kick of the game – and that was with a squad that was nowhere near as good as the one we have now.
I’d expect Calvert-Lewin to cause problems again, while Anton Stach and Ao Tanaka (who both also scored earlier this month against them) will be aiming for a repeat performance.
Just three days later, we’ve got ‘that lot’ at home and, I think for the first time since Marcelo Bielsa’s debut season in the top-flight, we have a genuine chance of doing to them what we did against Chelsea. In other words, they are there for the taking and they won’t relish playing in front of a hostile Elland Road.
It’s the Newcastle United match away (three days later) that concerns me a bit, especially after what will be two tough games. We held ourselves well against them earlier in the season I thought. A goalless draw seemed fair in a match where very few chances were created and, to be honest, if results go our way against Liverpool and Manchester United (at least if we get four points), I’d be happy with another draw.
That would take us into the FA Cup tie away at Derby County on a high and probably, well on our way to securing safety, despite there being a long way to go in addition to possibly looking forward to greeting some new signings in the January transfer window that should hopefully boost our chances of survival.
The upshot is that the mood in the squad at the minute looks superb and while I would have liked three points against Sunderland, the fact that we are unbeaten in five games, have a striker scoring for fun and are seven points (eight with goal difference) above 18th place and can strengthen almost imminently fills me with confidence.
