Leeds United

Saving the best 'til last this weekend? Title-chasing Leeds will welcome promotion rivals Sunderland to Elland Road on Monday night (20:00 GMT).

Daniel Farke's side could find themselves in second before kick-off, should Sheffield United pick up a win at Luton on Saturday while the fourth-placed Black Cats begin the weekend five points adrift of the Blades, albeit with a healthy 14-point lead over fifth-placed Blackburn in the play-off race.

• Leeds United have won only one of their previous seven league games against Sunderland (D3 L3), with those three draws coming in the past four meetings (L1).

• Sunderland are unbeaten on each of their past five Football League trips to Leeds (W3 D2), having gone 21 consecutive visits without a win before this run, losing their previous seven in a row.

• Leeds have won 12 of their past 13 home league games (D1), keeping 10 clean sheets in that run and scoring 37 goals.

• Sunderland are looking to win three consecutive away league games for the first time since September 2023.

• Since the start of November, Leeds' Daniel James has been involved in nine goals in 10 league games at Elland Road (6 goals, 3 assists), both scoring and assisting in his last two games (2 goals, 3 assists).

Adam Pope
BBC Radio Leeds reporter

Image source, Rex Features

Twenty league victories, 20 clean sheets and, let's be honest, it could have been 20 goals in the past three Championship games alone instead of the 13 Leeds United have delivered without reply.

Four of them came at Watford on Tuesday night as Daniel Farke's side showed once again why they are the best in the division - and by a long way - when they click into gear.

Once Leeds are in front they stay in front. A Dan James brace in the first half meant United went in at the break with at least a two-goal lead for three consecutive league games for the first time since Don Revie's great side did so in 1971, according to @JRCooper, external.

James' double put him in illustrious company too by taking him into double figures in the Championship for two seasons in a row. The last Welshman to do so for the club was the great John Charles in the 1950s.

James had hoped to be speaking with the match ball tucked under his arm after the victory at Vicarage Road, having spurned a couple of chances for his hat-trick.

"When you score two early goals against a side you always want to push on for that extra one. I've never scored a hat trick before so it would have been great to do so," he admitted.

But it's never about him with James, although he was given a rousing send-off from the traveling support as he was substituted.

His humility meant he immediately referred to the team and how well they had done to take more of their chances compared to the inefficiency at Coventry a week prior, when only two were converted from the plethora created.

"We've got to be ruthless, especially away from home," added James. "I thought we were today."

That's 66 goals for the campaign. Route 66 towards the Premier League.

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Daniel Farke conceded Leeds were in good shape with a five-point lead at the top of the Championship but insisted his side must guard against complacency.

Speaking to BBC Radio Leeds after the 4-0 win at Watford, Farke said: "It is so far so good. After 32 game days to be there with 59 points is outstanding but judgement is in May when we have played 46 games.

"We know we have a good momentum and are in great shape but we have to use and ride this moment and keep going. For that we want to keep this momentum, stay awake and stay on it.

"We have to stay focused and professional."

Leeds were quickly into a 2-0 lead courtesy of two goals from Dan James. They added a third before half time through Manor Solomon and a fourth just after the hour mark from Joel Piroe.

"We were excellent on the counter attack and excellent in the way we scored the goals but we needed good structure," added Farke. "I predict not many teams will leave here with three points so I am pretty happy with the win and the scoreline and clean sheet.

"Today we were really excellent in executing our counter attacks and the fourth goal was poetry in motion. You have to say the individual performance of the players up front was of a top level.

"If we perform like this our offensive row is really unplayable at times. They were excellent."

Watford welcome Championship leaders Leeds United on Tuesday night (19:45 GMT) looking to end a run of four games without a win (D1 L3).

The Hornets have won just one of their past nine matches (D2 L6) but are still only three points off the play-off spots.

Meanwhile, Leeds are two points clear at the top and are undefeated in their previous 13 league games (W9 D4).

• Watford are winless across their past five league games against Leeds United (D1 L4), conceding 2+ goals in each of their past four meetings with the Yorkshire side.

• Leeds United have lost just two of their past 10 away league games against Watford (W5 D3), despite only scoring one more goal in total (14) more than the Hornets across that time (13).

• Watford have lost their past four home league matches, losing every game by a one-goal margin. Outside of the top-flight, the Hornets haven't lost five in a row at Vicarage Road since December 2013.

• Leeds United are unbeaten in their past 13 league games (W9 D4), keeping five clean sheets in a row. The Whites last kept six clean sheets in a row in August/September 2017.

• Manor Solomon has been involved in nine goals in his past nine Championship appearances (4 goals, 5 assists) for Leeds United. His six overall assists are the joint-most of any Leeds player along with Junior Firpo and Daniel James.

"I feel like Saturday was the debate about the transfer window, in a football match."

Jonny Buchan, Adam Pope and Kaiser Chiefs bassist Simon Rix discuss whether Leeds United's exit from the FA Cup is a positive for the Whites' Championship campaign or showed a weakness in depth.

Episode 140 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.

Adam Pope
BBC Radio Leeds reporter

Image source, Rex Features

Leeds United visit Watford on Tuesday night looking to extend their lead at the top of the Championship.

Ahead of the trip to Vicarage Road, manager Daniel Farke delivered his pre-match media conference and here are the key lines...

• Dan James and Joe Rodon are expected to return after missing the FA Cup loss at home to Millwall with knocks. Defender Max Wober (knee) is out for up to six weeks. Patrick Bamford (hamstring) is set to return to training this week.

• Farke says there have been no discussions yet with out of contract trio Sam Byram, Junior Firpo and Josuha Guilavogui whose deals expire at the end of the season. "We'll have some proper conversations when it's time to do this."

• Farke was impressed by Sam Chambers, 17, who made his first start on the wing against Millwall: "He has good dynamic and intensity with his runs. We like him a lot, it was not a gift that he was in the starting line-up."

• The head coach is impressed by Watford who, like Leeds, almost became the first side to win at Sunderland in the Championship this season after drawing 2-2 at the Stadium of Light on Saturday. He described Tom Cleverley's side as one of the best in the division despite having dropped out of the top six.

• Farke added: "Their home record was quite impressive, perhaps not in the last weeks, they had this situation where several key players were not available. They were really difficult to beat, especially in the first half of the season. We travel with respect, but we've proven even in tough places, we're competitive."

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

Adonis Storr
Fan writer

Image source, PA Media

It will be 25 years this April since Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight went to the UEFA Cup semi-final first leg in Istanbul and never came home.

Like all footballing tragedies, it was a loss that transcended rivalries.

Tributes poured in from supporters' groups from across the globe and there was a terrible feeling of loss and anger that reverberated around Elland Road in the days and months after.

Those feelings were compounded by a sense that two of our own had not been protected.

This is one reason why the anger and sadness still lingers on so profoundly.

As a small boy, I couldn't understand why the game still went ahead. Football felt inconsequential.

After Millwall fans turned this tragedy into chanting at Saturday's FA Cup game, statements were made by both clubs condemning the behaviours and promising action.

But despite the various initiatives of individual clubs, the EFL, the FA and broadcasters, tragedy chanting seems to have been met only with statements and thus allowed to proliferate for years.

Lack of meaningful perceived regular action on chants continues to encourage an atmosphere that pushes the line between banter and tragedy chanting.

Until there are meaningful consequences, tragedy chanting will continue. Twenty-five years on from Chris and Kev, it is sad to think that football culture may be regressing.

Leeds fans can only hope that the promises of action are kept.

Image source, Rex Features

Leeds United have signed 18-year-old goalkeeper Robbie Cook from Australian top-flight club Perth Glory.

The 18-year-old, who has played at international youth level for Australia Under-17s and Under-21s, will join the Whites' academy.

Cook has signed a two-and-a-half year deal at Elland Road until the end of the 2026-27 season.

"Everyone at Leeds United would like to welcome Robbie to the club and we look forward to seeing his future development," the club said.

Adam Pope
BBC Radio Leeds reporter

Image source, Rex Features

Five points clear at the top of the Championship and looking to reach the fifth round of the FA Cup, with a home tie against Millwall on Saturday lunchtime, suggests Leeds United's season is very much on track.

Ahead of the visit of the Lions, manager Daniel Farke delivered his pre-match press conference and here are the key lines...

• Farke is expected to be without striker Patrick Bamford (hamstring) for the visit of the Lions but that should not deter him from making a number of changes to his starting XI.

• He said: "We always rotate through a period like this, but are likely to rotate more than one or two positions. Rhythm may be affected by so many, but under these circumstances, against a good side, we want to go through."

• In terms of team news ahead of the game at Elland Road, Farke said: "The only player not in team training is Patrick Bamford. That's the first step for him. Next week, hopefully. Depends on the final stages of his rehab."

• On the tie and FA Cup itself, he wants to balance cup ambition with safeguarding the squad from injury. "We want to be successful and want to use the chance to go through to the fifth round. We know it's not realistic to win the FA Cup but who knows? If we have a chance to go to the next round in front of a packed Elland Road we want to take it, without risking anything. We want to be there with a successful starting line-up. It's important not to do anything stupid."

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

Leeds United welcome Millwall to Elland Road for an all-Championship FA Cup fourth round tie on Saturday lunchtime (12:15 GMT).

• Leeds have won eight of their past nine home games against Millwall in all competitions, with the exception being a 4-3 loss in January 2018.

• This will be the first ever FA Cup meeting between Leeds and Millwall. Indeed, the only previous cup competition in which they've faced was the short-lived Full Members Cup, with the Lions winning both meetings 2-0 (December 1987 and November 1988).

• Leeds could reach the FA Cup fifth round for the third consecutive campaign, which would be as many times as they'd reached this stage of the competition in the previous 22 seasons.

• Millwall are looking to reach the FA Cup fifth round for the first time since 2018-19. However, they've lost each of their past six ties against sides from the same division or higher than themselves.

• Leeds are set to play consecutive home games within the same FA Cup campaign for the first time since 2001, when they beat Barnsley 1-0 in the third round before losing to eventual winners Liverpool in round four.

Leeds United boss Daniel Farke says their 2-0 win over Coventry was a "great night" but believes his side need to be more ruthless in front of goal.

"Pretty important win, pretty important three points," Farke told BBC Radio Leeds.

"Such a tough place. We were fully aware that Coventry were in red hot form. To come here and show such a performance and such a fully-deserved win is quite impressive.

"I'm happy with many, many details with our pressing, our counter-pressing, how we dominated the game, how we build-up the game, how we created chances against a really good side - also with a fifth clean sheet in a row.

"But we also have to speak about how we were pretty wasteful in using the chances. We have to be much more efficient because when you play such a strong home side, you can't waste too many chances.

"So, I want to be respectful and the 2-0 win is great… but I'm a bit critical with our cutting edge because we missed too many one-on-one situations against the goalkeeper.

"Against a really good side, it can be costly. Thank God we didn't allow many chances and then the two great chances they had, Illan Meslier made two outstanding saves, otherwise it could have been a tight game.

"We have to bury the game, but that's the only thing I can criticise. This was a top class performance from our boys and many compliments for that."

Image source, Rex Features

After the transfer window closed on Monday, we asked what you thought about Leeds United's business.

Joe Gelhardt and Charlie Crew went on loan until the end of the season, while Sonny Perkins made his move to Leyton Orient a permanent one, but the Whites did not bring in any players.

Here are some of your responses:

Wayne: Another striker would have been nice but only if they would have improved the team. There was no point bringing in someone for the sake of it. If it ain't broke, don't fix it as the saying goes. We have a squad that is strong enough to go up. Piroe gets his fair share of criticism but he is second top scorer in the league and the likes of James, Solomon, Ramazani and Aaronson are all chipping in. So long as that continues, we should be more than good enough to get promoted.

PJ: Frustrated really, despite leading the Championship we have not strengthened when given a golden opportunity to do so, like our competitors. Only time will tell if this was a wise decision!

Lee: We have a good enough squad. Don't need the team spirit disturbing. Any permanent signing would need to be Premier League ready. I'm relaxed.

Phil: Lack of investment in January cost us promotion last season, let's hope it's not a case of history repeating itself come May.

Kevin: In Farke we trust, and in this group of players who have been outstanding so far. We are right not to waste money on the wrong players who won't improve the squad. Clearly should we gain promotion then will need to invest.

Matthew: It's a big risk. Two or three injuries and you're prone to drop points. Why on earth wasn't Iheanacho taken on loan for example? It feels like a missed opportunity.

Selim: I noticed there were a lot of "loan" signings and judging by the sheer volumes this transfer window looked like collective panic stations. Signing loan players on short-term contracts is never a good thing because they might be the wrong fit, their presence may cause unrest in the dressing room and it takes more than a few weeks to get loanees playing in coordination with the squad.

John: We've been here before - the 'we don't need to buy' or 'there wasn't a quality player available'. If there are no injuries, before the end of the season, then fine. If there are, then it's going to be 50-50 for promotion, and I don't think I can take another play-off heartache.

Philip: As long as we stay clear of injuries and red cards we should be fine. This squad is better than last year. Glad we saved money for summer window.

Robert: We have been needing a Prem quality striker since Bielsa was the manager. So, it would appear that we as a club can only afford to buy strikers with potential and then to develop them on, ready for re-sale to supposed bigger clubs? If not the case, why have we not bought at least one?

Neil: Very happy. Completely supportive. Definitely a wise window. There's only 16 games left to manage. The squad is good enough. Top, clear, and 60 goals is proof of that. Injuries are possible but there's already plenty of scope for regular top-quality rotation. No need to be nervous. We have only one injured player right now and he's about to return.

Adam Pope
BBC Radio Leeds reporter

Cost, capability and character are the three Cs which form the criteria for Daniel Farke to successfully complete a signing.

We will probably never know how close he came to landing Southampton striker Cameron Archer but the idea of Saints letting their £15m top scorer go six months into his deal was probably not convenient.

Farke would not mention Archer by name but reminded everyone: "I never ruled out a lucky addition, but none of the targets ticked the boxes."

He showed no need of a quantum of solace after failing to add to his squad in the transfer window when he spoke to the press for 40 minutes prior to tonight's trip to Coventry City.

Farke joked how glad he was that he did not have to speak until the summer about transfers in a market which whips up excitement of a bygone time.

"Twenty years ago if you wanted suspense you were sitting in front of a James Bond movie," mused Farke. "Nowadays we're sitting on deadline day with two hours to go in front of the breaking news with reporters at one training ground or the other with some rumours or reports.

"It's probably why we have to wait so long for the next James Bond film because you don't need suspense any more as you have it in the transfer window. I'm not a big fan of this."

But talk he did. A 13-minute answer giving his reaction to United's quiet window and why he is unperturbed by Leeds' direct rivals all strengthening. Distil his message and it leaves the following:

"I trust my group. It means we are sitting after 30 games in the top position with 63 points. I don't see one reason why this group cannot finish in the top positions."

In a week when Leeds showed shades of the 70s almost 53 years on from the 7-0 mauling of Southampton with a repeat of the scoreline against Cardiff City, a maxim their legendary manager of the time would use seems apposite for Farke.

Conviction, confidence and courage were the three Cs which Don Revie would ask of his players when they took to the field. He put his faith in a tight band of players. Farke has the same trust in his.

After that pummelling in 1972, Southampton's Jimmy Gabriel said of Leeds United they had "reached the stage where they could destroy any side." Albeit in the second tier, the same could be said of Farke's men, providing they are not blighted by injury before May.

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

Image source, Rex Features

Fresh off the back of the biggest league win for more than half a century after beating Cardiff 7-0, Leeds United next go to Frank Lampard's Coventry City on Wednesday.

United lead the Championship by two points from Sheffield United, who like all of the promotion rivals have strengthened in the transfer window, but Leeds are the exception.

Here are some of the takeaways from Daniel Farke's pre-match press conference...

• How does he reflect on the window?

"I predicted a quiet window and that's how it turned out.

"The main headline from our window is I trust our group.

"We are top after two thirds of the season. This group has managed this and I do not know why they cannot continue."

• How difficult was it to reject a £10m plus offer reportedly from Real Betis for Mateo Joseph?

"Once you are top, it has two effects for the window. Your players attract other clubs and it's difficult to improve your own squad.

"This was important - to block all interest in our players and for that I am happy."

• Farke was adamant that transfer business should not be done just because of the mania which surrounds deadline day and worrying about what other clubs are doing.

"I never ruled out a lucky addition, but none of the targets ticked the boxes (cost, character & capability).

• Are you vulnerable in terms of numbers in the striker area, especially if there are injuries?

"We have a striker outstanding at this level for four years in Piroe.

"We have Mateo, let's assume the rumours were right with offers for double figures. That is a sign of his quality. Important, top striker. I also value Patrick Bamford."

• What is the injury news?

"Only Patrick Bamford (hamstring) is unavailable."

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