One of the most stunning performances in an eventful first season under Marcelo Bielsa came when Leeds United hosted West Bromwich Albion at the start of March 2019.
At the time, the Whites’ automatic-promotion hopes appeared to be in the balance. Leeds had lost five of their previous 10 league games and sat outside of the top two.
And heading into the clash with the Baggies, Leeds had suffered an abject 1-0 loss at Queens Park Rangers which will be remembered for a photo of Marcelo Bielsa in the Loftus Road tunnel looking almost beaten.
Daniel Farke has now had his West Brom win as Leeds boss
But within 16 seconds of kick-off against West Brom, Leeds’ promotion charge was finding momentum again. Of course, it was Pablo Hernandez who found the top corner in the opening seconds to send Elland Road into a frenzy.
Patrick Bamford would score either side of half-time, and Gjanni Alioski would round off the scoring in stoppage-time to hand Leeds a massive 4-0 win over their promotion rivals. The result sent the side back to the top of the table.
Almost five years on, Daniel Farke appears to have had his West Brom moment.
It was remarkable that Leeds’ clash with Ipswich just before Christmas felt as though it was make or break for the Whites’ hopes of finishing in the top two. Defeat at Elland Road would have left Leeds 13 points behind the Tractor Boys.
Leeds went into the game having lost one and drawn one of their previous two fixtures. So Farke had something to prove.
But Leeds could have hardly been better. And the scoreline? Well, goals from Pascal Struijk, Crysencio Summerville and Joel Piroe contributed to a 4-0 win. Former Leeds defender Leif Davis also scored an own goal on his return to familiar surroundings.
Promotion race could be wide open after Whites win
There is still so much work to be done. But with Ipswich facing Leicester City on Boxing Day, optimistic Leeds fans will hope that they will end Tuesday just four points behind Kieran McKenna’s men.
Of course, Farke is going to do incredibly well to ever be held in anything like the same regard as Bielsa by Leeds fans. And the quality available to the current Leeds boss is incredible, particularly in attack.
But it cannot be overlooked that the two managers have now both overseen 4-0 wins against promotion rivals at absolutely crucial moments in their first years in charge at Leeds.
Farke will be hoping that he can now do what Bielsa could not quite manage in his first season, and get across the line in the promotion race.
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