After a gritty 1-1 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium on Saturday, Leeds United supporters made their voices heard, overwhelmingly voting Japan international Ao Tanaka as the Hisense Player of the Match. The midfielder absolutely dominated the poll, grabbing a staggering 63% of the vote.
Tanaka didn’t waste any time making his presence felt, playing a key role in Leeds taking the lead in just the 15th minute. It was his shot that Brighton’s keeper initially saved, but the rebound fell perfectly for Jayden Bogle, who fired it home to put Leeds up. Tanaka was buzzing all over the pitch during his 73 minutes before Harry Wilson subbed in for him. He was everywhere, racking up 37 touches and completing 19 accurate passes. Talk about work rate: the dude covered 8.4 kilometers, logged nine sprints, and hit a top speed of 30.4 km/h! And it wasn’t just setting up plays, Tanaka also had two shots on goal himself, one of them even slamming off the woodwork. He created one big chance and pulled off eight carries, showing he was a constant threat.
But it wasn’t just his offensive prowess that caught the fans’ eyes. Tanaka was a beast on defense too, showcasing a truly all-around performance. He registered three clearances, three crucial recoveries, two tough tackles, and won four duels, stopping Brighton’s attacks cold. He even looked like he scored himself, but the ref waved it off, saying his arm was just barely offside. Brutal. His incredible display wasn’t lost on Fantasy Premier League managers either, who awarded him a solid five points. This wasn’t a close call in the fan vote, not even a little. Tarik Muharemović came in a distant second with 9%, followed by goalkeeper James Trafford at 8%, and even goalscorer Bogle only managed 7%. Tanaka simply ran away with it.
It’s clear Tanaka’s performance was a masterclass in midfielder play, blending offensive flair with defensive grit. If he keeps putting in shifts like this, playing with that much heart and covering that much ground, Leeds is going to be a tough out for anyone. You gotta wonder what he’s going to pull off next time out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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