Leeds United’s owners have been warned against sacking head coach Daniel Farke after his side produced a battling display against Manchester City.
Daniel Farke appeared to be in for a long afternoon when his side slipped to a 2-0 deficit by half-time. However, his tactical changes inspired his side, as Lukas Nmecha pulled Leeds briefly level before City’s late winner.
Although the loss means Leeds have now lost four Premier League games in a row and six from their last seven, Farke seemed to have hit upon a winning formula in the second half as he looks to steer his side away from relegation trouble.
Despite Leeds suffering another defeat, the performance eased some of the pressure on the Leeds boss, as Farke received rapturous applause from the away end at full-time.
Now, the 49ers have been warned that it would be a mistake to part company with Farke, as his side showed their fight in a battling display.
The pressure is mounting on Daniel Farke… should Leeds United sack him?⌛
Leeds United told that they need to stick with Daniel Farke
Speaking on the Two Robbies podcast for NBC Sports, former Middlesbrough midfielder Robbie Mustoe explained why he believes Farke should be given more time at Leeds.
Former Leeds player Ross McCormack argued that Leeds’ display showed the players were still fighting for Farke, and Mustoe agrees with this assessment.
He said: “I always look at a team and see how they look. I think Burnley’s the same. We looked at Burnley very closely this weekend. We looked at Leeds United as well. And I think they’re playing well.”
He added: “It’s just whether you feel like, with that squad, Rob, a different manager could do something different than Daniel Farke. He’s got to get to know them pretty quickly. He’s got to somehow get something else out of them, creative, you know, and that might be possible.
“I just think sometimes these guys are fired a bit too early. I’d love to see Daniel Farke, because I know his record in the Premier League was relegations, and it’s an easy, like, let’s get somebody else in.
“Unless there’s a really good candidate that’s ready and able to take over straight away, that’d be a good fit. I say stick for a little bit.”
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Daniel Farke cannot revert to his old plan for Leeds United v Chelsea
While Farke showed that he can be adaptable by making his early change of system against Man City, it remains to be seen whether he will stick with the 3-5-2 he used in the second half at the Etihad.
An injury to Dan James may encourage Farke to start with his adapted system against Chelsea, as Leeds look to end their poor run of form.
However, speaking via Leeds Live at the end of the City game, Farke hinted that he is not wedded to using three at the back, as he explained: “I’m always prepared to play 3-5-2. It’s about the way you want to play against the ball.
Phil Foden gives Daniel Farke credit for his half-time switch🗣️
“If it were that easy, we’d use it every game, then anyone can be a Premier League manager. We couldn’t do it against Aston Villa because they press differently.”
This statement may concern Leeds fans, who were impressed by his newfound adaptability. If Farke quickly reverts to his 4-3-3, with Brenden Aaronson on the right against Chelsea, the Leeds fans’ goodwill may quickly evaporate.
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