AMPED-UP ETHAN ON DEFENSIVE

Centre-half loves having his Joe-to guy with him at back

ETHAN AMPADU is hoping his defensive partnership with Wales team-mate Joe Rodon will help Leeds equal a 93-year-old record.

Ampadu has dropped into central defence alongside the on-loan Spurs centre-back in the absence of the injured Pascal Struijk.

The pair excelled to ensure a fifth successive clean sheet which saw Leeds leapfrog Southampton into second spot.

And a win over league leaders Leicester at Elland Road on Friday would draw Leeds level with the nine straight wins set in 1931.

Ampadu said: “The clean sheets are down to all of us as a team. If you keep a clean sheet, the minimum you take is a point.

“It is a baseline that shows our togetherness, and gives us a platform to build on.

“Me and Joe go way back, we have played together for Wales quite a few times.

“We have got a pretty good understanding at the moment. When one goes forward, the other one covers.”

Goals from Wilfried Gnonto and Georginio Rutter sealed an eighth straight win for the promotion-chasing Whites.

Daniel Farke’s side restricted Plymouth to one shot on target despite them being the second highest goalscorers – behind Southampton – at home in the Championship this season.

Ampadu added: “We showed togetherness and fight to get another win and a clean sheet.

“It is probably these games that will matter come the end of the season.

“If you look back a few weeks ago, everyone had not written us off, but no one had really spoken about us.

“Just because we are here at this stage doesn’t mean we are all going to get excited.

“The league table only really matters when it comes to the end of the season, so for now we need to keep doing the hard work to give us the best chance. “We will not be getting carried away and it is important we keep building, keep trying to perform and see where it takes us.”

Plymouth suffered their first league defeat at Home Park since October when they lost to relegation rivals Swansea.

Pilgrims striker Ben Waine said: “Leeds are high in the table for a reason. They have some exceptional players and we held our own and did not go under.

“The result didn’t go our way but we have got a chance to turn that around (at home to West Brom) on Tuesday.”