Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke will be disappointed that his side lost for the first time in the Premier League this season against Arsenal on Saturday.
Whilst a defeat to the reigning champions by one goal is hardly embarrassing, the Whites did take the lead in the match through James Justin and had an opportunity to secure a surprise result.
Whilst their defending could be blamed for the result, as they coughed up two goals in the second half, the West Yorkshire outfit also failed to kick on and grab a second goal to finish the game off.
One of the players responsible for the team’s failure to push on and score again was Switzerland international Noah Okafor, who struggled throughout the match.
Why Leeds have a problem brewing with Okafor
The former AC Milan winger enjoyed an impressive debut campaign at Elland Road with eight goals and one assist in the Premier League for the Whites last season.
However, his superb goal return masked his lack of creativity. He only created 1.32 xA and averaged 0.7 key passes per game across 28 appearances in the division for Farke.
It was not a surprise to see him come off the pitch after 71 minutes without a single key pass to his name against the Gunners, as it is a growing problem with his performances in the top-flight.
|
26/27 Premier League |
Noah Okafor |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
6 |
|
Minutes per goal |
374 |
|
Goals |
1 |
|
Key passes per game |
0.3 |
|
Big chances created |
0 |
|
xA |
0.29 |
|
Assists |
0 |
When he is not offering a threat as a scorer, as was the case against Arsenal with no shots on target, Okafor can be ineffective for Leeds because of his lack of creativity with the ball at his feet.
Despite starting five of the club’s six matches in the Premier League this season, the Swiss star has registered two key passes and is yet to create a single ‘big chance’ for his teammates.
Leeds, therefore, have a big problem brewing with Okafor because his all-round performances are not good enough if he is not scoring goals on a regular basis to make up for it.
Thorp Arch star could take Okafor’s Leeds spot
The obvious solution to that problem would be to wait until the January transfer window to bring in a new forward who can compete with the Swiss attacker for his place in the side.
However, Farke may not have to wait another three months to find a player who can steal Okafor’s place in the starting line-up, as there is a young talent currently lighting up Thorp Arch.
19-year-old wide player Harvey Vincent has enjoyed an incredibly strong start to the 2026/27 campaign and, like Okafor, is a right-footed attacker who can play on either flank.
The former England youth international is a direct and creative attacker with a different playstyle to the Swiss forward, despite playing in the same position, as he constantly looks to create for his teammates, rather than focusing on scoring goals.
In 11 appearances in all competitions this season, the teenage whiz has racked up two goals and five assists from a wide position for the club’s U21 side.
Two of those assists came in his first appearance of the season in the EFL Trophy against League One team Barnsley, contributing to a 4-3 win for his team.
|
Vs Barnsley |
Harvey Vincent |
|---|---|
|
Minutes |
90 |
|
Key passes |
4 |
|
Big chances created |
3 |
|
Assists |
2 |
|
Successful crosses |
3/9 |
|
Shots |
1 |
|
Duels won |
1/3 |
His performance against the third tier outfit shows that he does have the quality to deliver in a first-team environment, as he produced two sublime crosses for Callum Mills and Josh McDonald.
Whilst Vincent played on the right side of the attack in that win over Barnsley, the English youngster can also play in Okafor’s position on the left flank, cutting in on his favoured right foot.
The U21s starlet is not just a creator who does not offer a goal threat, though, as he scored 11 goals in 46 matches for the club’s U18s and has scored six goals in 49 games for the U21s.
Vincent could come into the first-team and take Okafor’s place in the side because his form at academy level suggests that he has the potential to offer significantly more to Leeds as a creator, whilst still providing goals.
In fact, the academy wing wizard created more chances against Barnsley (four) than Okafor has created in the Premier League this season (two), which speaks to the gulf in class between the two players as creators.
It is now down to Farke, though, to provide the 19-year-old talent with an opportunity to show what he can do in the Premier League for the first-team in the coming weeks.
