Despite Leeds United Under-21s falling to defeat late on against Liverpool Under-21s in the Premier League 2, Scott Gardner was full of praise for his players after the full-time whistle.

In what has been a very busy schedule for the Academy, the Whites cruelly came up short in Merseyside but the boss believes there was a lot his team can take from the encounter.

“I am disappointed that they lost the game with the last kick,” Gardner began. “Four games in nine days for a lot of them and, particularly in that second half, we had the better chances.

“I thought on both sides of the game it was excellent. It is probably one of the best performances of the season, to be honest.

“I think it is more what they learn about themselves, what they are capable of, to be able to physically be able to do that.

“You are going to have to be able to do that in the Premier League and there were obviously Premier League players for them that played.

“We looked really good. I saw players do things that I know they can do and I saw from one or two things that I wasn’t sure they had the capability to do.

“That is the most pleasing thing, that they are showing a different side to their game when needed. So, I was really pleased with that.

“It has been a big nine days and I think we are all ready for a couple of days to recover and we go again to Arsenal next week.”