The rise to the top has not been plain sailing for Leeds United — the thrilling 4-3 win over Swansea City on Sunday being a case in point — but Daniel Farke’s side lead the Championship for the first time this season and are where they want to be as they build momentum ahead of a busy period of fixtures.
The press conferences of opposition managers have followed a formula this season. They provide confident predictions that Leeds will automatically be promoted to the Premier League and acknowledge the high calibre of player at Farke’s disposal. Swansea boss Luke Williams was no different, surmising that “the quality of Leeds was the difference” in a hectic encounter in south Wales that ended with a 91st-minute winner from substitute Wilfried Gnonto.
Chris Wilder, Wayne Rooney and Watford boss Tom Cleverley are among those to have heaped praise on Leeds and tipped them for a Premier League return.
“Head and shoulders the best side we have played,” said Sheffield United manager Wilder, whose team are third but level on points with Leeds. Plymouth Argyle head coach Rooney said that “anything but promotion for Leeds will be failure”. Praise, rinse and repeat.
But such external proclamations add to the already sky-high expectations within Elland Road and do not tell the full story of Leeds’ season so far.
That it has taken until the last week of November for United to climb to the summit of the Championship is reflective of this battling campaign. At times, they have had to win ugly. Too often opponents set up in a low block to frustrate and Leeds have had to break that down.
“Sometimes, instead of being really spot on with a tidy, clinical, tactical performance, it’s also important to show heart, mentality, spirit, togetherness and resilience. To have the answer when there is a sucker punch,” Farke said after the victory. “And this is what my lads did because we had so many sucker punches.”
Twice Leeds came from behind before Swansea made it 3-3 with a 90th-minute strike from Florian Bianchini. Farke said his team had had the answer for each “sucker punch”.
“This mentality and togetherness, it feels like the first time in ages that this club had again the chance to be top of the league,” he added. “We wanted this so much and so everyone left their heart out on the pitch.”
It is rare for Leeds to come up against an opponent that presses aggressively like Swansea. The home team’s opener, via a well-delivered free kick turned in by Harry Darling at the back post, and their second — a Liam Cullen strike on the break — were reflective of Swansea’s ability to punish Leeds for their defensive sloppiness.
But Swansea’s fragile high-line was a gift for the pacy ex-Swansea player Dan James, who provided two assists. Leeds’ first goal from a precise Pascal Struijk through ball to James, who cut back to Manor Solomon, was a moment of quality. James again ran behind the home team’s defence and looked to square it to Joel Piroe when the ball crashed off Ben Cabango for an own goal, levelling the game at 2-2.
Given his mixed start to life at Leeds, Spurs loanee Solomon’s brace — his second coming from a Sam Byram cutback to make it 3-2 — was another bright point to prove his worth as a starter.
Swansea made one more effort to rip up the script everyone has been keen to write for Leeds this season by scoring a late equaliser. Buffeted by unexpected goals and the challenging weather, Leeds were not willing to lie down and so Gnonto raced through to side foot in the winner.
Three points, top of the league and the outcome was as many had predicted, but this was a United performance of grit and fight.
“For my former club, I finished two times in the top spot and won the league. I’m happy to be position one in this league (even temporarily) because I am 62 games in charge and I’ve had to wait for these moments,” Farke, who guided Norwich to the Premier League, said.
“I was a bit greedy for it and told the lads that it’s not important because what matters is the points tally at the moment. This league is never a sprint, it’s a marathon and it doesn’t mean anything that we’re at the top of the league, only on goal difference, by the way. We had not the easiest summer in terms of fluctuation and many more incomings and outgoings than we would have hoped for… to be there after only 16 games with a point average of two per game is excellent.”
Outsiders might have their own ideas about the destination for Farke’s side this season. The performance against Swansea showed that this is a team unwilling to let anyone else dictate how they get there. As long as they continue on their current course, it promises to be an entertaining ride.
(Top photo: Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images)
