'Best in the league' - Ex-Leeds United, Sheffield United, Bradford City and Sunderland defender hails key Whites man

The Frenchman kept his second clean sheet of the season as 10-man Leeds battled their way to a 0-0 draw with Aston Villa at Elland Road.

His other shutout this season came in last month’s remarkable 3-0 victory over Chelsea.

Since Leeds’ return to the Premier League in 2020, Meslier has played in 80 of United’s 83 league fixtures.

He kept 11 clean sheets in 35 outings in 2020-21 but had just five last term as the Whites found themselves locked in a relegation battle.

Jesse Marsch’s side picked up a point at Elland Road on Sunday afternoon despite playing most of the second half with 10 men after Luis Sinisterra picked up a second yellow card for delaying a Villa free-kick.

Meslier did have a few nervous moments when coming to claim the ball in the air but made a fine stop from Ollie Watkins late on and produced a string of other important saves as Villa failed to find the net from their seven shots on target.

“Yeah he came out waving a few times, didn’t he,” Kilgallon, who also had spells at Bradford City and Sunderland, told BBC Radio Leeds at full time.

“But do you know what I like about him, he’ll come out again.

“And he did, and he caught one in the second-half. That’s what I like about him.

"You can tell he’s a confident lad. His one-on-one saves, he’s probably the best in the league in my opinion.”