Leeds United just about crept over the line against Stoke City last night to pick up their 23rd Championship win of the season to date, overcoming Steven Schumacher's tricky visitors 1-0 on a cagey evening in West Yorkshire.
In truth, the performance wasn't Daniel Farke's high-flying side at their free-flowing best with the goal-shy Whites bailed out by Daniel James scoring a belter in the first half.
The silky Leeds number 20 was reintroduced into the first team fold after battling to be back in his manager's plans following recent injury woes, proving his worth for the promotion chasers once more on their own turf – the ex-Manchester United winger onto 11 goals for the season now.
Leeds were thankful that James stepped up to the mark owing to the off-day experienced by Patrick Bamford leading the line for the hosts, who was quiet throughout in contrast.
Daniel James' stunning performance vs Stoke
Away from the lacklustre showing by the Leeds number nine, James starred again for Farke's men from down the right-hand channel.
The electric winger was constantly wanting to make things happen at Elland Road whilst the likes of Bamford and even Georginio Rutter failed to get going, with the Welshman amassing four shots on target in the contest.
Moreover, the slick 5 foot 7 attacker would muster up four key passes to show his unselfish side away from firing constant shots at Daniel Iversen's net on top of winning five duels in total as a high-energy menace.
This should see James be retained for Leeds' next match away at Sheffield Wednesday on Friday night, shrugging off any lingering injury concerns with a fantastic display against the Potters.
Bamford won't rest so easy about his first-team spot, however, off the back of his no-show up top in the 1-0 win, coming away from the game with fewer touches than Whites goalkeeper Illan Meslier.
Why Patrick Bamford must be dropped after dismal Stoke showing
It could well be time for Farke to reevaluate who his main centre forward is as Leeds enter a number of crunch games in the automatic promotion race, with Bamford in danger of falling down his manager's striker pecking order after a second-rate display on Tuesday night.
Bamford would only accumulate a dire 32 touches of the ball to Meslier's superior 63, during a match that simply passed him by from start to finish.
Only registering two shots on Iversen's goal, alongside only completing 18 accurate passes from his 72 minutes on the Elland Road turf, Farke could well look to other members of his squad to come in and do a job against the Owls up top in place of a poor Bamford.
It would result in Bamford picking up a 5/10 rating from LeedsLive journalist Beren Cross after the game was over, with Cross stating that the 30-year-old offered 'very little.'
Minutes played
72
Touches
32
Shots on goal
2
Accurate passes
18/23 (78%)
Duels won
4/6
Whites hotshot Mateo Joseph could well fancy his chances in the first team off the back of Bamford's dire showing, whilst Joe Gelhardt will be waiting in the wings patiently for opportunities to impress after finding himself stuck on the Leeds periphery.
Before either of those reserve figures get the spotlight shone on them however, the most logical reshuffle would see Joel Piroe re-enter the Leeds first-team fold as a number ten – with the former Swansea City man creating one big chance against Stoke from off the bench – and then Rutter would slot back in as the lone striker again.
Leeds will just keep wanting to add more wins to their season tally away from Bamford's off-day troubling them, with James desperate to continue being a hero for Farke's men in the crucial weeks to follow in the promotion hunt.