Luke Ayling started the QPR match after a long injury lay-off.

The 25-year-old hadn't played since January prior to the match against QPR, so this was a welcome return for the fans and him personally. This was his first match with Paul Heckingbottom on the sidelines, so the Leeds manager has been unfortunate to not have this dependable performer to rely upon.

He has been a key part of Leeds' defence since he joined from Bristol City in 2016. His absence has led to a number of players filling in at his position including Matthew Pennington, Gaetano Berardi and Stuart Dallas. However, none of them have been able to replicate Ayling's form or consistency in that role.

There's no doubt that he will be in Heckingbottom's plans next season as he aims to create a solid back line from which the rest of the team can use as a platform to build from. The leakiness of the defence will be the first area that Heckingbottom wants to address for next season because they conceded 64 league goals this season.

Ayling tweeted this after the match against QPR:

This is how Leeds fans reacted: