Noel Whelan thinks Pontus Jansson has turned the clock back to last season after he put in a superb performance in Leeds United's 2-1 win over Middlesbrough at Elland Road.
As Leeds' form has slumped, Jansson has come in for fierce criticism and was even dropped from the side at one point by Whites head coach Thomas Christiansen.
He started in the backline alongside central defensive partner Liam Cooper against Garry Monk's Boro and turned in an aggressive performance which saw him bully the visiting attackers.
Young Marcus Tavernier was one to feel Jansson's wrath as the Sweden international went in with a forceful challenge.
Whelan thinks the performance signalled that Jansson is back and lauded the Swede's display at Elland Road in a game which mattered hugely to the fans.
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"He's found that Jansson that we love from last season, that aggression, that determination, that leadership skill that he's got", he said on BBC Radio Leeds.
"He's an international player. He should be the one out there leading. He should be the one pushing people about and dictating to the midfield what he wants from them.
"He flattened the lad Tavernier with a header – he looked like he was out for the count.
"He was sliding into challenges."
Leeds will be hoping Jansson's performance against Middlesbrough is just the first in a series of impressive displays as they look to rise up the Championship standings from their current position of seventh.
