Georginio Rutter struggles addressed by Leeds United boss Daniel Farke as Norwich City showdown approaches

Leeds, with Rutter as an attacking focal point, kicked off 2024 in style. A 3-0 win over Birmingham City on New Year’s Day was the first of nine straight league victories.

Daniel Farke’s side didn’t suffer their first defeat until April. Rutter, with his infectious joie de vivre and habit of tormenting defences, was the Leeds heartbeat in the final third.

Crysencio Summerville grabbed the headline but it was Rutter pulling strings as Leeds marched towards top spot.

Over the course of the last month, Leeds have imploded and fallen short of automatic promotion. Key figures have lost form at a critical time and arguably none have nosedived as brutally as Rutter.

Since the international break, during which he underwent surgery, he has looked a shell of his former self.

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Speaking after the 2-1 defeat to Southampton, Farke said: “Overall it's important to give him the sign he shouldn't be too angry and disappointed.

"Who should be blamed for this? He's having an outstanding season, in the team of the season, unbelievable amount of assists, one of our main parts. It's unlucky and fate that injury was there and surgery was needed. He wanted to come back as quick as possible and was forced more or less to go into the games.”

When Rutter is in his groove, cutting through defences like a knife through butter, it is easy to forget his age.

The reported £35m fee paid to prise him from Hoffenheim in January 2023 was forked out when he was just 20.

Rutter is hardly alone as a struggling member of the Leeds squad but the Whites need the Frenchman at his fluid best when the Championship play-offs arrive.

Farke said: "He's a pretty emotional player, a confidence player who feels it. It was quite normal the first games he played more or less without training and was not there with his best and this impacted his confidence.

"We tried to give him some confidence, but he's 22 a few weeks ago, for him it's the first full season in English football."