'In Gudmundsson Leeds may have the perfect left back'

It looked like his touch had put the ball out for a goal kick.

But 30 minutes into Sunday's FA Cup clash with Norwich City, Gabriel Gudmundsson strained every sinew to slide a cross to Sean Longstaff who – in a manner reminiscent of Dennis Bergkamp or Dele Alli – looped a ball up with his left foot, swivelled and hammered in a fierce strike with his right.

Finally, after 22 chances created this season, Gudmundsson had registered his first assist for Leeds United.

The Swedish left back has been a revelation after a tricky start in West Yorkshire.

Although goal involvements took longer than anyone imagined; Gudmundsson's attacking abilities have been praised since he tormented Everton's Jake O'Brien in the first minutes of the season.

But it was his defending that seemed to be a problem.

During the first half of the campaign the vast majority of Leeds' goals conceded were from attacks down their left side. The problem peaked ahead of a trip to the Etihad to face Manchester City in late November.

United went into that game with seven of their previous eight goals conceded coming down Gudmundsson's side.

Daniel Farke's solution was to drop the entire left flank. Within 25 minutes Leeds were 2-0 down and it was clear that the issue was not personnel but structural.

A half-time switch to three at the back solved the problem and transformed Leeds' season.

Gudmundsson's best defensive performance of the year came in the following game when he dominated Chelsea's Estevao so completely the Brazilian was yanked at half-time and Leeds won 3-1.

If the Swede will now add goal involvements to his Premier League form, then in Gudmundsson Leeds may have the perfect left back and at £10m, he is one of the bargains of last summer.

Find more from Adonis Storr at The Roaring Peacock, external

And you can listen to what Gudmundsson had to say to BBC Radio Leeds about scoring his first goal by pressing play above or heading over to BBC Sounds here