Leeds United are officially in the relegation zone after Saturday’s 3pm results, proving to be a drastic backfire from Daniel Farke’s pre-match press conference.
Back-to-back losses prior to the international break is already an alarming development on face value, but the manner of United’s two losses is even worse.
Daniel Farke needs a turnaround fast to get Leeds fans back onside, but his comments on Friday afternoon may have stoked the flames further.
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The reason for Farke’s confidence and the club’s decision to stick by him for now is the current points return from 11 games.
It’s believed by the club that United’s rate of a point per game is enough to see the club through to May, if they keep it up. The problem with that rationale is Leeds’ brutal fixture list until mid-January, starting with Aston Villa tomorrow afternoon.
Daniel Farke is facing big pressure at Leeds United. (Action Images via Reuters/Craig Brough)
During Farke’s pre-match press conference on Friday, he was keen to stand his ground amid growing criticism.
“It comes with expectations and pressure but I just have the desire and the heart to defend this club. I am more or less a Leeds United supporter,” he said, per the YEP.
“I can’t be over the moon after a win and I have to stay humble. I am fully focused on leading this club with positivity.
“After 11 games we are not one time in the relegation zone and we have a great chance to finish above the line.”
Farke was discussing facts when looking at our season so far. 11 games in, Leeds weren’t ever in the relegation zone at the time of speaking.
However, anything Leeds-related always has a tendency to very rapidly backfire, and that’s been the case today.
Saturday’s relevant 3pm kick-offs saw West Ham travel to Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest visit Liverpool. Both sides took shock leads as the Irons saw their two-goal lead cancelled out in the second half, but held on for a draw. Meanwhile, Sean Dyche’s Forest thumped Liverpool 3-0 to move out of the bottom three.
The Irons’ draw means they also leapfrog Leeds by virtue of a better ‘goals scored column’:
*Newcastle currently playing their 12th game vs Manchester City as I write.
Of course, Leeds could well respond with victory tomorrow against high-flying Villa. However, the notion of Leeds fans overreacting in Farke’s eyes – having ‘never being in the bottom three’ – now looks incredibly short-sighted.
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