The French defender's work behind the secens has not gone unnoticed, despite his lack of game time

When Melvin Bard touched down in Yorkshire on deadline day, he could not speak a lick of English.

Daniel Farke joked a week later that he needed to “step up” his language learning, having just a few days earlier underlined how he only wants his players to speak English in the dressing room.

“It’s important for the new signings to learn the Yorkshire accent,” Farke wryly grinned. “Because it’s slightly different in comparison to Oxford!”

Bard will have had no trouble deciphering what the South Stand were singing just past the 60-minute mark in Leeds United’s 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur: ‘Melvin Bard’ to the tune of the chant used for Daniel Farke.

The partisans in that section of the ground are the most vocal but don’t dish out chants for nothing. You have to earn that right. Not every Leeds player has yet.

But Bard’s harrying display, charging to the ball and into tackles like a French whippet, had all sides of Elland Road eulogising. It was quite a 45 minutes given the context.

Bard - who has not made a senior international appearance - had not played in nearly two months. His last outing was his 18-minute stint against Newcastle United when the game was already won.

And on his debut at Chelsea, in September's League Cup tie, Farke was seen angrily thrashing the air amid misplay from the 26-year-old. However, the manager had noted a difference in the last week.

“I had a really good feeling during this training week with him,” said Farke. “I always prefer to have Gabi available, don't get me wrong, but I had a good feeling straight away because Melvin had his best week in training since he was together with us.”

Bard’s chance came when Gabriel Gudmundsson was forced off with a hamstring issue at half time - a third such injury in the space of eight months for the Swede. But that only further underscores why a back-up left-back was needed this summer.

The deadline deal for Bard was actually sealed the evening before he arrived. Saturday marked his best of three outings since that day.

The defender was adventurous and bold. Not everything was successful. He did lose possession 16 times - a joint Leeds high alongside Sean Longstaff - but that was indicative of his attacking intent.

Numerous times he tried to find Dominic Calvert-Lewin with a ball around the Spurs centre-backs. He attempted seven passes in the final third. While not many came off, it helped Leeds to keep Tottenham on the back foot.

Bard himself won possession back three times. Healso won four of his six ground duels and half of his six aerial duels - which is not bad going for a defender standing of 5ft 8in stature.

It’s testament to his character and hard work that the full-back was able to put in such a gallant display, which no doubt helped give Leeds the overall impetus to find that winning goal - not least to his throw-in starting of the move.

“You see he's just working, even if he doesn't play,” said Tarik Muharemovic of Bard's training work ethic, post-match. "He doesn't complain.

“He knows what his goal is, which is obviously to fight for his position and for every minute he gets. You saw it today; he came in and absolutely delivered.”

And he appears to be integrating well into the squad. Muharemovic added: “I mean, Mel, you don't know this guy behind the [scenes]; he's an amazing guy.

“A really, really amazing guy and I love him. I spend my time with him at the training ground, joking around the whole time.”

Whether the jokes were in English or otherwise doesn’t matter, there’s only one language that really counts to Leeds fans - how you translate performances on the pitch. In that regard, Bard has completed his first lesson.