Leeds United

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Leeds haven't lost back-to-back games yet this season and they'll be determined to continue that record after last weekend's 1-0 defeat at Blackburn shunted them out of the top two.

Victory would lift Daniel Farke's side back above current leaders Sheffield United, who are not in action until Sunday, when they travel to West Brom.

Derby, who are 15th in the table but have a five-point cushion above the bottom three, have only won one of their last nine games - although that came on the road, when the Rams triumphed 2-1 at Coventry earlier this month.

● Leeds United are unbeaten across their last five league games against Derby County (W3 D2), with the Yorkshire outfit netting 12 goals in total across that time.

● Derby County have won just one of their last seven away league games against Leeds United (D3 L3), failing to keep a single clean sheet at Elland Road during that time.

● Leeds have won each of their last six league games at Elland Road, conceding just one goal in the process. They're looking to record four consecutive home clean sheets for the first time since June 2020.

● Derby have both scored and conceded in each of their last nine league games, last having a longer such run between August and November 2005 (15).

● Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has only won one of his six games against Derby in the EFL (D2 L3), although that lone victory did come in his most recent meeting with them (1-0 in April 2021).

Image source, BBC Sport

Adam Pope
BBC Radio Leeds reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has been speaking to the media before the Championship game against Derby County at Elland Road on Saturday (12:30 GMT).

Here are some of the key points from Thursday's news conference, and Farke's thoughts:

• Sam Byram (hamstring) is out, while Isaac Schmidt (hernia) is back in training but not ready to play a full 90 minutes.

• Junior Firpo is a question mark so faces a late call after a knock in training.

• Club captain Ethan Ampadu is back in full training and Farke is already mulling over using the midfielder earlier than anticipated by mid-December.

Patrick Bamford came on ahead of Mateo Joseph at Blackburn Rovers. Does that reflect his fitness and general improvement in training?

Farke: "It's the first time in a while he's three to four weeks without injury. In training his confidence is coming back. It also depends on the game. It wasn't a decision against Mateo, for example. Patrick with experience and smart movements in the box is a good solution when you need a goal. I'm quite grateful he's in a good period where he's training more and more. When you convince in training you have more chances to get more minutes - and you have to use minutes."

Paul Warne gave his Derby team Monday off for a psychological recovery after their late defeat by Sheffield Wednesday. Do you do similar?

Farke: "Sometimes it depends on the gut feeling. Paul is pretty experienced. Sometimes you feel don't talk too much, clear the head, instead of overloading them too much. But you can't do this every week. I'm quite sure it's the best solution for them if Paul thinks so. They are highly motivated to bounce back. They were unlucky and were on the front foot and quite easily could have won the game."

Warne says he can't believe Farke is perceived to be under pressure. He says no-one could do a better job.

Farke: "We've got a good relationship and obviously there is objective data that backs his words. Paul is experienced enough - it's Leeds United and it's always like such an emotional club. I don't feel at all criticised or under pressure. We know what we're doing. I knew when I signed the contract what an emotional club Leeds is - this club always polarises. Even during Marcelo [Bielsa's] time there was criticism of his football or his approach. If you can't handle the heat don't go into the kitchen."

You said it would be a quiet January transfer window. Does that mean in terms of numbers, and does it rule out spending considerable money on a key player like a number 10?

Farke: "In general, I'm long enough in this business that some strange things can happen. You can never rule it out. You have to react to the reality. It's a while till the window opens and till then I won't comment too much on speculation. We have eight games before 1 January. Potentially some injuries to key players and how is the situation. If you ask me right now I don't expect a busy January."

Listen to West Yorkshire Sport Daily, weeknights at 18:00, and subscribe to BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast on BBC Sounds

Adam Pope
BBC Radio Leeds reporter

We've been here before with Leeds United managers haven't we?

Five years ago Marcelo Bielsa and his side were given the Fifa Fair Play award for their sportsmanship against Aston Villa when Bielsa ordered the team to let Villa equalise in a crucial match.

Leeds' opener had sparked a free-for-all on the pitch at Elland Road after Mateusz Klich scored while Villa forward Jonathan Kodjia was down with an injury.

Consequently, Bielsa instructed his players to stand aside and allow Albert Adomah to run through unopposed to equalise (although United defender Pontus Jansson defied orders and tried unsuccessfully to impede him).

The consequent 1-1 draw meant Leeds dropped two points and effectively gifted automatic promotion to Sheffield United.

Fifa were fulsome in their praise for Bielsa with their statement: “Some residents of planet football consider winning the ultimate. The only purpose of playing the sport. For others though, there are values which need to be held even higher than those which bring victory.”

Bielsa himself was characteristically understated at the time, saying: “What happened, happened. English football is known around the world for its noble features. I’ve said all I want to say.”

And remember, this came after the 'Spygate' furore in which Bielsa admitted to sending someone to spy on Derby County after a man was apprehended by police outside the Rams’ training ground. Bielsa admitted to spying on every Championship opponent that season, saying: “I observed all the rivals we played against and watched the training sessions of all opponents.”

He had not broken any rules but never the less, the club were fined £200,000 and given a severe reprimand by the EFL. Leeds went on to lose the play-off semi-final to this Saturday's opponents Derby at the end of the season.

Those old English values and noble features, hey? They seem so attractive to those watching from afar until they experience the reality where all is not necessarily as it seems.

Current manager Daniel Farke, in the wake of the 1-0 defeat at Ewood Park, without naming the Blackburn Rovers captain, pointed the finger at Lewis Travis for blatantly disrupting the flow of the match by going to ground. "A player on the pitch, I don't want to name him, but he was six times on the pitch, experienced player, and there was never one time a treatment, but it always lasts one minute,” he said. “The referee goes over, speaks to him, he gets up. It's not just we can add the time, it also breaks the rhythm and gives the other team time to recover."

Farke feels the spirit of the game has diminished somewhat. "Sometimes I got the feeling I love this country because we were never soft... and when someone was cheating and wasting time, even their home fans were booing him off. I like this mentality, even with my German passport. I always loved English football. Sometimes we remember on the way we are celebrating a player when he's wasting time. I don't like this attitude but perhaps I’m a bit old school in these terms.

Fair play? It will not have seemed to many. But for others - fair play to the lad for pushing the parameters to the maximum to secure the win.

Listen to West Yorkshire Sport Daily weeknights at 18:00 GMT and subscribe to BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast on BBC Sounds

Adonis Storr
Fan writer

Image source, Rex Features

At Norwich, Daniel Farke was loved. The full-time whistle at Carrow Road was often met with Blur's 90s hit Parklife blasted from the tannoy. The Canary faithful replaced the song's hook line with the German's name.

At Leeds, Farke has the best win percentage (55.4%) of any coach to manage more than 10 games in the club's history, but his name is seldom sung and he isn't really loved.

From sections of the fanbase his tactics aren't yet being met with vitriol, but something worse: apathy.

By the time Farke had circled the Elland Road pitch last Wednesday night the stands were sparse. The Whites had just comprehensively dismantled freshly-relegated Luton Town, they were top of the league, having raced to 10 league wins, and well in the fight for the Championship title.

But Leeds fans' relationship with Farke feels like a loveless marriage.

The German's solid formation has seen United concede fewer goals than at this stage last year. Leeds have the lowest expected goals allowed in the league, and suffocate games by controlling possession and playing two defensive midfielders.

But this defensive solidity isn't really inspirational. And the frustration when the Peacocks don't play exciting, attacking football is compounded by the strength of the squad.

Leeds have one of the most expensively-assembled squads in English Football League history. The fanbase expect the club to win, and the frustration of decades spent outside the Premier League wasn't quenched from the recent brief spell back in the big time.

Perhaps it is the shadow of Marcelo Bielsa still hanging over Elland Road. We have seen how football can become art. And while Farke's tactics might be what we need, it's not what we want.

Farke will never be loved like Bielsa, but if he does get Leeds promoted, at least his name will be sung again.

Find more from Adonis Storr at The Roaring Peacock, external

Leeds United failed to make it a nine-point week in the Championship, slipping to a 1-0 loss at Blackburn.

The defeat resulted in a lot of emails from Don’t Go To Bed Just Yet listeners’…so Jonny Buchan, Adam Pope and Kaiser Chiefs bassist Simon Rix opened their inbox to discuss some of the points made.

Was it a penalty? What is it with 1-0 defeats? Why is John Eustace Leeds' kryptonite? Will the real Leeds United please stand up...

Episode 130 of Don't Go To Bed Just Yet is out now and you can find it on the BBC Sounds app, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds here.

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It is one of the most eagerly anticipated dates in the football calendar as Premier League and Championship clubs join the FA Cup action from round three.

The draw will take place on Monday, 2 December from 19:00 GMT and can be watched live on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.

Lewis Deighton
Fan writer

Image source, Rex Features

In a week when Leeds United have won in both dramatic and comfortable circumstances, is it fair that Daniel Farke’s football has been branded as boring?

Averaging 1.97 points per game – the best by any Championship manager in 20 years, his style is effective but supposedly not the most entertaining to watch.

We’ve faced the fewest shots of any club in the opening 17 games of a Championship season (113) since Opta started recording data in 2013.

While this lack of jeopardy is impressive, it doesn’t have people on the edge of their seats – thus complaints of boredom and a decline in atmosphere.

The noises I made for Willy Gnonto’s 91st-minute winner at Swansea were described as “a yelping dog being trampled on”.

Coming less than a minute after conceding the equaliser, it was well worth driving through two feet of flood water in South Wales for.

Much like the sea of travelling supporters around me, I was in complete disbelief and didn’t quite know what to do with myself.

Winning 4-3 in that fashion felt very much like the chaos under Marcelo Bielsa, which fans understandably crave more than a routine 3-0 win over Luton Town.

I personally agree that Farke’s football is boring to watch, but I also acknowledge that he has a job to do and we’re currently top of the Championship.

It’s not his fault that Bielsa has somewhat brainwashed us into thinking seven-goal thrillers are the norm.

Calls for him to be sacked are ridiculous, but bizarrely I do understand why people are fed up.

Is it fair then that Daniel Farke is judged not on the results, but on how he got them?

Find more from Lewis Deighton at LUFC Lewis, external

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Leeds United full-back Sam Byram is a doubt for Saturday's match at Blackburn Rovers.

The 31-year-old scored his first goal of the season in Wednesday's 3-0 win over Luton Town but was later forced off with a hamstring strain.

"We are still waiting for the results on a scan," Leeds boss Daniel Farke told BBC Radio Leeds.

"It will be a tight call with him and a late decision tomorrow if he can travel with us- if he’s still available or not. We have to wait a little bit and be patient."

If Byram is ruled out, his place will likely be filled by Junior Firpo who returns to the squad after missing the last three matches due to suspension.

Saturday's game likely comes too soon for winger Largie Ramazani to be in contention for the starting line-up, although the Belgian may play a part from the bench.

"He needs a bit of time- for the starting line-up I think it’s too early," Farke added.

Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke has praised his wingers after rotating his side in recent weeks.

Leeds' 3-0 home drubbing of Luton on Wednesday night was their fourth victory in the last five league games and took the German's side top of the Championship.

Farke now has a tough decision to make: whether to keep Wilfried Gnonto and Manor Solomon in the team or replace one of them for Daniel James, who has found form in recent weeks.

"They are just 100 percent happy when I play them each and every second," Farke told BBC Radio Leeds ahead of Saturday's trip to Blackburn Rovers.

"It’s also normal that when you have such a period - three games within six days - and also keeping in mind you have 46 matches a year, two cup competitions, international games - you can’t play each and every minute.

"So, I have to praise my lads because they all accept that."

Farke's wingers have all provided key contributions in recent weeks, with James providing three assists and a goal in his last two matches, while Gnonto and Solomon both scored in the stoppage-time 4-3 win at Swansea City on Sunday.

The Leeds boss added that his rotation policy had been tactical too.

"We want to be flexible and not be that predictable for our opponents," he said.

"The players know exactly what to they have to do if we change it and so we don’t want to play 46 games with more or less the same structure with the same players in the same position because, first, it becomes predictable, and also a bit boring.”

Image source, Rex Features

Leeds United substitute Dan James fired home the third and final goal during their 3-0 win over Luton Town to see his side sail comfortably back to the top of the Championship table.

The arching shot into the back of the net gave the winger his third goal of the season - and it's one he is particularly pleased with.

"I thought we dominated the game, it always nice to come on and score to add to it," James told BBC Radio Leeds.

"There were a couple of times last season where I didn't quite get it over and under and it's gone over the top of the net, but thankfully it went in.

"We could have scored a few more but I think it's good, especially after the quick turnaround, to be able to dominate a game and we've got to try and do that Saturday."

Leeds will visit Blackburn on Saturday for their third match in less than a week.

Jam-packed schedules are a hot topic in the footballing world - with fatigue and injury being two of the leading parts of the debate - and monitoring players' fitness levels throughout a long competitive season has become an integral part of being a manager.

Perhaps this is why Leeds boss Daniel Farke chose to utilise James, who was ruled out for a month in September with a hamstring problem, from the bench despite being a stand-out performer during their 4-3 thriller with Swansea on Sunday.

However, the Wales international admits he's "feeling really good" and respects his manager's choice to keep him out of the starting XI.

"I've always got to be happy with the decisions - you know, I want to play every game - but we've got a great squad here, the way we rotate players is great. You've got to be ready for that," James added.

You can listen to the full interview on BBC Sounds.

Image source, Rex Features

Exactly 13 years on from the tragic death of former Leeds United midfielder and Wales manager Gary Speed, BBC Radio Leeds has been paying tribute to his career and life through those that knew him in Speedo: Gary Speed Remembered.

Speed came through Leeds' youth system and went on to win the First Division trophy with the Whites as part of a memorable midfield quartet alongside Gordon Strachan, Gary McAllister and David Batty.

But it's not only his skill on a football field that lives long in the memories of those who followed him.

"He always had time for you," Leeds fan Gary Edwards said.

"I remember seeing him in a nightclub in Cork. It was a Monday night, raining; we'd gone over there for a friendly.

"We sat with Speed, and you couldn't see the table for whisky. Nobody was falling about drunk; it was just his hospitality.

"He was charming; there was just something about him."

BBC Radio Leeds' Adam Pope spoke to former Leeds personalities including Simon Grayson, Howard Wilkinson and Jon Newsome for the documentary, as well as Speed's father Roger.

You can listen to the full tribute on BBC Sounds.

Willy Gnonto's dramatic injury-time winner at Swansea City on Sunday took Leeds United top of the Championship for just over 48 hours, before Sheffield United took over by beating Coventry City on Tuesday.

Gnonto's strike prompted scenes of joy in the away end in wet South Wales, and brought smiles to the faces of the Don't Go To Bed Just Yet team as they recalled the moment.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Image source, Rex Features

Leeds United have issued a statement acknowledging accusations made towards referee David Coote over their Championship match against West Bromwich Albion in October 2019.

It is alleged that Coote discussed issuing a yellow card with a fan prior to the match, in which he awarded one to Leeds defender Ezgjan Alioski.

Coote says he denies the claims and calls them "false and defamatory allegations".

There is no suggestion of any financial gain by Coote and the booking is regarded as entirely correct.

The 42-year-old official had already been suspended by the Football Association following an investigation into alleged comments made in an unverified video about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

"We respect and have full confidence in the FA, EFL [English Football League] and PGMOL [Professional Game Match Officials Ltd] regulations and processes," Leeds said in their official club statement., external

"We will be making no further comment at this time."

Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke has heaped praise on his summer signings following their thrilling stoppage-time 4-3 victory over Swansea City on Sunday.

The 48-year-old brought in seven new players following their disappointing play-off final defeat in May and Farke is impressed with how they have settled into life at Elland Road.

"If you look at what we've done in the summer, we've earnt an unbelievable amount of money with the sale of Archie Gray, Crys [Crysencio] Summerville, Georgi Rutter and Glen Kamara," he told BBC Radio Leeds.

Farke's side host Luton Town on Wednesday on the back of five wins from their previous seven Championship games (W5, D1, L1) which has seen them jump to the top of the league table.

"You could argue, we lost a bit of quality and the players we brought in, no-one really heard of Ao Tanaka, for example.

Tanaka, who arrived from Fortuna Dusseldorf in the summer, has been a revelation for Leeds and has played every minute in their last nine Championship matches.

"They would say Ao who? Where does he play? Second division in Germany, 25-years-old, has he played at the top level before? No. It's probably not the quality that we need".

"I heard some criticism about Joe Rothwell. Not to be good enough to be one of the starting three midfielders for Southampton.

"They finished below us, how should he be good enough for us? - he's proving he is at the moment.

"Largie Ramazani - no English club ever wanted him, he was just relegated in Spain last season, he was suspended with red cards and also yellow cards and no-one really believed in his quality.

"It looks like, with bargains, we are building a really good team."

Leeds United will be feeling mighty confident after knocking Sunderland off top spot in the Championship table with their thrilling 4-3 win over Swansea on Sunday.

But, with the top three all level on 32 points and both Sunderland and Sheffield United playing on Tuesday, Leeds may find themselves replaced at the top by the time they face Luton Town on Wednesday.

The Hatters have had a topsy-turvy season so far (W5 D3 L8) but come into the game off another morale-boosting home win over Hull City.

But it would take a big step-up in their away form if they are to cause an upset and claim just a second win on the road this season.

• Leeds United have lost one of their last 11 league games against Luton Town (W7 D3), losing 5-1 at Kenilworth Road in October 2006.

• Luton are winless in their last nine away league games against Leeds United (D2 L7), with this their first visit since a 1-1 draw in June 2020.

• Leeds have won 14 home league games at Elland Road in 2024, their most in a calendar year for them since 2009 (20).

• Luton have lost each of their last four away league games, conceding 13 goals in that time; they’d lost only four of their previous 24 Championship away games prior to this run.

• Leeds are unbeaten in their last nine home midweek league games (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday), winning six of them (D3); they last lost such a game in the Championship in March 2018 to Wolves (0-3).

Adam Pope
BBC Radio Leeds reporter

Image source, PA Media

Leeds United host Luton Town on Wednesday after their 4-3 victory at Swansea City extended their impressive run in the Championship to just one defeat in 11 matches.

BBC Radio Leeds will have build-up to full match commentary from 18:00 GMT, with former United head coach Neil Redfearn, Jonny Buchan and Adam Pope.

Leeds manager Daniel Farke faced the press ahead of the match at Thorp Arch on Monday.

Here are some of his comments:

• There are no new injury worries but Farke said he may "have to rotate a bit more" than normal because of the games with Luton and Blackburn this week. Defender Isaac Schmidt (hernia) is not ready to return against the Hatters but is expected to join in team training on Thursday.

• On Manor Solomon, who scored his first goals for the club at Swansea after signing on loan from Spurs, Farke said: "Yesterday, with just over 70 minutes, it was probably his best performance in the shirt and most effective performance for his mood with the two goals." Farke added "it's not likely a winger will play all three games over 90 minutes" this week.

• Farke said "the story of the game made us be a bit careful" at Swansea, with Leeds 3-2 ahead going into the final minutes before finally winning the game in injury time through Wilfried Gnonto after the home side had levelled. "I would have preferred us to press a bit more," said Farke. "High pressing like before, more pressure on the ball."

• Leeds have "great characters" in the group, which helped them across the line in South Wales. "It's a joy to work with them, it's not so difficult to lead this group," said Farke. "We also try not to let the standards drop and aim for the highest targets. We won 90 points last season but we're not happy because we didn't finish in the top two. We know right now we're in a good spell but even after such a game we speak about the things that were not perfect."

• On the challenge posed by Luton: "For me they are one of the contenders for the top six. There's no doubt about this, they played last season in the Premier League. When you are relegated it's quite often difficult to avoid a hangover in the Championship. Sometimes you have to accept a poor start. They still have lots of quality and physicality in their team. They have a manager who has worked miracles for them."

Listen to West Yorkshire Sport Daily, weeknights at 18:00, and subscribe to BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast on BBC Sounds