Sheffield United & Burnley advantage over Leeds has been obvious since October 4th | OneFootball

Illan Meslier could cost Leeds United promotion.

The Championship promotion race has been a brilliant spectacle once again with Leeds United, Sheffield United and Burnley battling it out for a top-two spot.

At times, the Whites have looked unstoppable, and at the start of March, a Leeds promotion seemed inevitable after impressive victories over Sunderland and Sheffield United.

However, their recent form has allowed their promotion rivals back into contention, with just one win in their last five matches.

This poor run culminated in a 2-2 draw against Swansea City, where a late equaliser once again highlighted Leeds' goalkeeping woes. Both goals conceded stemmed from errors by Illan Meslier, providing fans with a frustratingly familiar reminder of their vulnerabilities at the back.

This is in stark contrast to events at Sheffield United and Burnley, both of whom arguably boast the best goalkeepers in the division in Michael Cooper and James Trafford.

Illan Meslier mistakes have been obvious since Sunderland game

Leeds United at their best look by far the strongest team in their division, but in a promotion race, you cannot afford to carry players - and at times, it feels as though that is exactly what they are doing with Meslier.

His first mistake of the campaign came against Sunderland on October 4th when, after an assured second-half performance from the Whites, he misjudged a deflected cross from Alan Browne, allowing it to slip past him and into the net, resulting in a 2-2 draw. At that moment it was quite clear that Leeds were at a disadvantage when it came to the goalkeepers at the disposal of their rivals - it's impossible to see Cooper or Trafford making the same errors.

This was not an isolated incident, as further costly errors against Hull City and Swansea have also led to dropped points. Analysis suggests that Meslier’s mistakes have directly cost Leeds 10 points across five games during the 2024-25 season - an alarming statistic in a promotion battle where every point is crucial.

If they were to have won all of these games, then the Whites would be sitting pretty, eight points in advance of their nearest rivals Sheffield United.

Unfortunately, what makes this ever more prominent is the brilliance of Cooper and Trafford, who sit third and first respectively in FotMob's Championship player rating system.

Michael Cooper and James Trafford have shown Meslier up

The performances of Meslier’s counterparts highlight a clear disparity, and the Frenchman will be hoping his mistakes do not ultimately cost Leeds promotion.

Take Burnley’s James Trafford, for instance. He has been nothing short of exceptional, keeping 27 clean sheets in 38 games, saving two penalties, and boasting a remarkable goals prevented figure of 11.5 alongside a save percentage of 86.9%. Meanwhile, Sheffield United’s Cooper has been just as reliable, registering 19 clean sheets in 37 matches, saving a penalty, and recording a goals prevented figure of 6.53 with a solid 78.4% save percentage.

Both goalkeepers have been models of consistency, delivering when it matters most and winning crucial points for their teams. Trafford’s display against Sunderland, for example, was nothing short of heroic - denying Wilson Isidor from the spot not once, but twice, in a performance worthy of the highest praise.

We have seen nothing of this level from Meslier and while he does have brilliant saves in him, lapses in concentration too often cost the goalkeeper. His presence, when compared to his rivals at Sheffield United and Burnley, is a big advantage to Leeds' rivals.

It will be interesting to see whether this ultimately proves costly for Daniel Farke’s side, as the manager has remained unwavering in his defence of Meslier from the very start, even after the absolute ridiculous against Sunderland back in October.

Only time will tell, but regardless of whether they secure promotion, the Whites will surely need to prioritise finding a new goalkeeper this summer.