Bournemouth away was always going to be a difficult task for Leeds United, and it proved to be the case: a 2-0 defeat. But it was Tyler Adams who rubbed salt in Leeds wounds.

Leeds were the authors of their own downfall on Saturday. Dominic Calvert-Lewin had a golden chance to break the deadlock, but his close-range effort was saved by former Chelsea goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic.

The ball ended up in the net, but Petrovic’s save hit Calvert-Lewin on the arm before going in. Had he just scored, as he should have done, Leeds would have gone 1-0 up, and the game could have been different.

Then, James Trafford gave away possession far too cheaply, and Evanilson profited. Amine Adli continued his stunning goalscoring form with another in the final moments, as Leeds pushed to score an equaliser.

Tyler Adams rubs salt in wounds, better than Ethan Ampadu

Adams left Leeds just one season after joining the club from Leipzig under Jesse Marsch. He hardly played in the second half of 2022-23 due to injury, and his departure did not earn himself any favours at Leeds.

Adams did not endear himself to Leeds fans when he forced his way out of the club after relegation in 2023. The Square Ball claim he even threatened legal action as he looked for a way out of West Yorkshire.

Adams was understandably booed by supporters at Elland Road. But at The Vitality on Saturday, Adams was exceptional for the hosts, and the stats prove it. Leeds outran Bournemouth, 124.1km to 123.0km.

But Adams topped the charts for individual distances covered. Normally, Ethan Ampadu runs more than anyone else, but Ampadu was outrun by Adams. Adams clocked up 12.4km while Ampadu ran 12.2km.

The rest of Tyler Adams’ stats as Leeds fail to score again

For the third time in five Premier League games, Leeds have failed to score a goal. It is becoming a trend that is clearly on the minds of the players; James Trafford identifying the need to score at Sunderland.

Adams was clearly fired up, desperate to beat Leeds after the boos received at Elland Road. Eventually, the midfielder finished the game with 10 defensive actions, Bournemouth’s second-best on the day.

On the ball, he was second-best for line-breaking passes, the key to feeding Bournemouth’s attacking players. Adams touched the ball more than any other player (68) for them. He was crucial in the win.

Recently, Adams said this about his time at Leeds: “Things change really quickly. Unfortunately, I picked up an injury at the end of the season, I wasn’t able to make that push. I still think about it to this day.”

But it is quite clear that Adams is over his time at Leeds and is thriving in the middle of the park for the Cherries. For Leeds, it is now five Premier League games without a win, and the pressure is growing.