Daniel Farke singled out Archie Gray after the teenager starred in Leeds’ 2-1 Sky Bet Championship win over Bristol City.
The 17-year-old midfielder was drafted in at right-back and kept Sam Bell quiet until the winger was replaced with 25 minutes to go at Elland Road.
Dan James gave Leeds the lead, only for Kal Naismith to head in an equaliser in stoppage time at the end of the first half.
However, Joel Piroe’s controlled strike early in the second half proved decisive as the home side again wasted chances to win by a clearer margin.
Farke said: “I have to give all the compliments to Archie. You can have an idea but it’s much more important the player brings it on the pitch.
“Archie was there with a terrific performance against the ball and also with the ball. It’s all about his potential as a character.”
Farke was happy with the way his side dominated but rued the number of chances they missed.
The German continued: “We created so many chances against such a rock solid side. The only thing I can criticise is not taking our chances, the game should have been done at half-time.”
James finally broke the deadlock after 36 minutes after the ball broke to him six yards out and he found the bottom corner with a left foot shot.
The visitors levelled at the end of the half as Naismith rose to head in a corner and earn his side a barely deserved equaliser.
Leeds went back in front seven minutes into the second half when Piroe shot in low from 20 yards, after the home side had worked the ball across the City area.
The home side should have won by a greater margin but for a glaring first half miss from two yards by Rutter and City goalkeeper Max O’Leary’s save which denied Crysencio Summerville in the second half.
City pushed for a late equaliser but Sam Byram headed off the line from a corner, then blocked a goalbound shot as Leeds held on.
The Robins’ assistant boss Curtis Fleming felt his side had missed a chance to take something out of the game.
He said: “We feel it was a missed opportunity, if I’m honest.
“Leeds are a good side but we controlled the ball well at times and caused them problems and we didn’t trouble them as much as we wanted to. I don’t think we showed as much as what we wanted to.
“They have real quality (in attack) and we knew that coming into the game. We knew we had to concentrate as much as we could as a defensive unit.
“There’s no doubt if you give quality sides chances they will score goals.
“We had a couple of (late) chances but we feel it was a missed chance today. We feel we didn’t ask them as many questions as we could.”
City lost forward Nahki Wells to a first half ankle injury but Fleming hoped it was not too serious ahead of a two-week international break.
Fleming added: “Nahki is a real handful at the moment and it was disappointing to lose him. It’s probably come at a good time, when he has got two weeks (to recover).”
Maguire's league season over as Man Utd confirm muscle injury
Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has suffered a muscle injury that will see him miss the final games of the Premier League season.
United face Crystal Palace on Monday, before rounding off their Premier League campaign with some tough fixtures against title-chasing Arsenal, fellow European hopefuls Newcastle United and then Brighton.
However, Erik ten Hag will have to do without centre-back Maguire, with the England international set to miss around three weeks with a muscular problem, further compounding United's injury issues in defence.
That time frame also casts Maguire's participation in the FA Cup final, which takes place on May 25, into doubt.
United will take on holders and rivals Manchester City in the Wembley showpiece, which is a repeat of last season's final.
England manager Gareth Southgate will be hoping the defender recovers fully in time for Euro 2024.
Pochettino hails Chelsea's growth after thumping West Ham
Mauricio Pochettino is delighted by Chelsea's progress in recent weeks following their dominant 5-0 victory over West Ham at Stamford Bridge.
Nicolas Jackson scored twice, while Cole Palmer, Conor Gallagher and Noni Madueke were also on target as the Blues leapfrogged Manchester United into seventh place with three games remaining.
Pochettino's side, who made it back-to-back wins in the space of three days following their 2-0 success over Tottenham on Thursday, are finishing the season strongly, having now lost just one of their last 12 matches.
The Blues came under scrutiny during their 6-0 rout of Everton last month, when Jackson and Madueke were involved in an altercation following a disagreement over who should take a penalty, with the responsibility eventually going to regular taker Palmer.
However, three weeks on, the pair combined to positive effect with Madueke unselfishly squaring the ball for Jackson to tap in the first of his two goals, despite being one-on-one with West Ham keeper Alphonse Areola.
And Pochettino believes that action epitomises the growth his side are demonstrating as the season draws towards a conclusion.
"[We are] so pleased, so happy. The players deserve big credit, to play again after a few days and to play again at this level," he said, as reported by Football London.
"We received criticism for the situation with the penalty against Everton, but a young team needs to make mistakes to improve.
"It was a great action from Noni [squaring the ball for Jackson's first goal] to see how the group is starting to believe. It is always a process that takes time. It can take one month, six months or one year.
"People who know about football know the process of building a team is the most difficult thing. You need to have the capacity to emphasise with every single player.
"They need to trust in us, in the coaching staff. That is the most important thing, and then you need to start to identify what the players need. This process always takes time."
Discussing Chelsea's hopes of qualifying for Europe, Pochettino said: "From the beginning of the season, I said we should win because we are Chelsea.
"We need to be mature, keep the momentum and look to improve every single game. We are trying to be in Europe; it will be good for the team and the players to be in Europe this season."
Ronaldo delivers another hat-trick as Al Nassr ease past Al Wedha
Cristiano Ronaldo crafted a decisive hat-trick as Al Nassr hammered Al Wedha 6-0 in Saturday's Saudi Pro League meeting.
Portugal veteran Ronaldo found the net twice in the first 12 minutes at Al Awal Park before completing his treble after the interval.
Sadio Mane teed up Ronaldo's third finish, as well as an 18th-minute strike from Otavio, who returned the favour for the Senegal international to score on the stroke of half-time.
Mohammed Al Fatil added a late sixth as Al Nassr recorded their seventh straight league win since their March 7 loss against Al Raed, moving them back within nine points of leaders Al Hilal.
Jorge Jesus's Al Hilal swept Al Tauwoon aside in a 3-0 away triumph on Friday for their fourth straight victory across all competitions.
Talisman Aleksandar Mitrovic opened the scoring at King Abdullah Sport City Stadium before Saud Abdulhamid and Saleh Alsherhi wrapped up a win that kept Al Hilal in charge of the title race.
There was no such fortune for fifth-placed Al Ittihad as they fell to a third straight defeat in all competitions after a 3-1 loss away against Abha.
Jota levelled after Grzegorz Krychowiak's 57th-minute penalty, only for Hassan Al-Ali and Fabian Noguera to power hosts Abha to a comfortable win.
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