Leeds United vs Sunderland: Daniel Farke reveals injury latest and early team news as Ampadu a doubt — YEP 8/4/24

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke previews tomorrow evening’s Championship encounter with mid-table Sunderland this afternoon.

By Joe Donnohue

The Whites manager was disappointed but not dejected or downtrodden by last weekend’s defeat at the Coventry Building Society Arena and has rallied his troops in the interim before facing Sunderland tomorrow night.

Farke has won this division twice before and knows what it takes to clinch automatic promotion at the end of a gruelling Championship campaign and the feeling at Elland Road remains that the German is the best man for the job.

Leeds are third in the table having slipped from the top two after the weekend’s results, but remain in touching distance of the automatic promotion places with the order expected to chop-and-change several times before the final game of the season.

Farke welcomed Willy Gnonto, Connor Roberts and Ilia Gruev back into the mix at Coventry, allaying fears that the international trio could be out until Leeds’ trip to Middlesbrough in two weeks’ time. The manager is expected to provide a fresh fitness update today during his press conference which is scheduled to get underway at 1:30pm. Follow all the text updates here.

Farke on team morale

They’re self critical and this is what I like. They were not happy with their individual performances, we had several under par, then overall not our best. They were all unhappy and I like this because you could argue it does something with self confidence. The most important topic is to stay humble, be self critical, don’t point with the finger, let’s speak about the things we can do better - this is the mentality they’ve shown.

Farke on international break hangover

After int’l break is always tricky, they are two weeks away, when I compare style of football of national teams, they play different in many ways to us. Then to focus them without having a training session on what we want to do, straight away busy schedule like we had, it’s always a bit tricky. Right now we keep going with Tuesday Saturday but this time around it was even more. Also not helpful if we feel too sorry for ourselves. It makes no sense to complain about it. We concentrate on the things we can influence, hopefully it’s improving day to day. We don’t look back.

Farke on Gruev

He played, thank God for 65-70 mins, perhaps a bit longer. A bit unlucky that after the last international break, red hot form players who played a crucial role, you need a bit of luck for the run-in. We had already several setbacks in terms of injuries, when I think what happened during the season, Pascal Struijk we play the last 25 games without our central defender, a guy who was more or less our captain on the pitch. Nobody was speaking about this because of our partnership between Ethan and Rodon. Hopefully we have a bit of luck in the run-in. No new injury concerns for the run-in, if we have this group together we can get important results.

Farke on top three collapse possibility

Yes, because the run-in, to grind out results is more difficult than the middle of the season. To deliver this in the run-in, when you face sides fighting at the wrong end, to grind out a point is always difficult. In the past if you look there are unexpected results. Best position for Leicester, then for Ipswich and then us, then Southampton worst position but two games in hand. They play us and Leicester, which means if they win those games, their direct opponent is not winning any points. It’s important to be respectful. After Christmas nobody was talking about us, in this league crazy things can happen. For us it’s important we’re focused on ourselves. I still think if we’re there with good results, our fate is in our own hands to finish in a good position.

Farke on promotion being in/out of hands

With this amount of games to go, this is the feeling we have it in our own hands. It’s important and I mention this especially, we need to win our home games. If we win our home games, grind out a good result on the road, then happy days, then we finish in a top position that allows us to speak about automatic promotion. We have to give as a group of players, staff and supporters, let’s play these last three games as cup finals. If our supporters want to celebrate at the end of the season, if it’s possible you guys carry us through challenging periods in the game.

Farke on Bamford

Patrick is experienced, he also knows as a striker, either you are top class and everyone celebrates you and sings your name, or you are poor and the reason we don’t score - that is the fate of a striker. We don’t have to speak about it. I’d like to say, it’s important that with our emotions in a positive and negative way, that we don’t exaggerate. We have a tendency to praise our academy starlets without having played one ball in the first-team. It’s important not to put too much weight on the shoulders. Also the other way round, in recent games, to not underestimate what Patrick is giving to the team. He is a special player, at the beginning he was waiting for his chance in the starting lineup. I also had to learn that it’s a bit more like Patrick’s natural appearance, he’s such a tall guy with his movement, if he scores a goal, he looks like he has natural self-confident, he’s an elegant, scores goals like this worldie at Peterborough. If he’s not scoring goals, then people say natural self confidence looks like arrogance. I have to point statistic of the last game, Patrick was the offensive player who covered the biggest distance until his substitution. Not just for us, the opponent players as well. He was No. 2 in terms of all my players in sprint distance, No. 2 high speed distance. So I would say the player with the best work-ethic. It doesn’t look like this. Sometimes a smaller player looks a bit more energetic, powerful. Doesn’t take away in two or three scenes, his big chance, he could be a bit more focused. We need him with his work ethic and experience, overall also important to have a look what we have done since he came back into the starting lineup - no team has won more points. It’s the first game we’ve lost with him in the starting lineup this year. It’s important we back our key players.

Farke on Sunderland

Nothing to play for in this business is relative. Each point is important. It says a lot about the ambition of this club that they have had managerial changes. Says enough about the ambition of this club and where they want to finish. They have lots of individual quality. Not the best period in last weeks and months, like for every other team, a game against Leeds is the biggest stage and spotlight.

Farke on squad

No additions, there is a question mark over Ethan Ampadu, he has been ill over the last 48 hours. Will need to play a part in the short session tomorrow morning if he is to play. We took Roberts out of training yesterday, same with Willy Gnonto, just as a precaution. They probably will be available but can’t confirm if more minutes than the last game. I just expect them to be fully ready for 90 mins for the M’boro game.

Farke on making sure the players don't blink

Outside of our group, everyone is allowed to overreact. Football is full of emotions. Supporters can be over the moon or down after a loss but it’s also important to focus the group on what is necessary. I could’ve done without a defeat, sharpens all senses, but I also have to say sometimes when you have so many positive results, if you just have the experience to invest a bit more, you’re coming away with a good result, a little setback sharpens everything. You take away from it ‘we can’t afford to give 2 per cent less’. I take the positive out of this. It leads to a situation in the last five games we are switched on. We were missing in the duels against Coventry, then I think it’s beneficial for the last five games. It’s obviously a positive sign when we are not at our best but we still win every statistic. Even with a poor performance, we are not far away from grinding out results. Come on we have to be there with natural aggression and invest even more, then we have a great chance to win many points.

Farke on the pressure

First of all the most important topic is to stay the same. Sometimes there is special attention on the games, managers overreact and have to do something special, overinterpreting their own role. When I was a young manager, I thought I had to change many things, surprise the opponent coach and out of good intention you surprise your own team. Important not to be too driven by emotions. Many people in this business the world goes crazy and everything is panicking after poor results, or already dancing although you have not won anything after a good result. Important to stay level, show some leadership, be a good role model and focus on the contents, it’s about the acting not the talking.

Farke on bringing out the best in players

My personal feeling is I’m at my best when the sea is getting rough, you have to show leadership, to be there with a cool head when the fire is burning in the heart. It’s never a game of chess between managers, most important are the players. I’m important to help my players and I know we’ve got a pretty young group, in terms of energy it helps a lot but in experience it can be challenging. Quite similar scenario when I think about my first promotion with Norwich. That I’ve done it twice before is no guarantee we’ll do it again. I believe in my team and my group.

Farke on promotion race pressure

Southampton are still there in the race, it’s more complicated for them but they have quality and are capable to win several games in-a-row. It will be a tight race, also about the individual quality, as well as a team, bit of luck in terms of injuries, then it’s also about the right mentality for these last five games. One thing to get close to the line but then to have the mentality to bring it over the line. This winning mentality is what you need to have and to show. I’m a competitor so I enjoy the crunch time period, never a big fan of friendlies, didn’t like testimonials, I want to play games as a player and manager where it’s important. Really enjoy this time of the season, it comes with lots of work and pressure but it’s quite enjoyable. I like to find the right balance to be really competitive and still have a smile on your face.

Farke on Coventry setback

Special feeling because we’re not used to have a day after a loss. Allowed in the first 24 hours to suffer a little bit, to be self critical. I don’t like vanity or to sugarcoat a game when we’re not at our best away at Coventry. Important not to dwell on it and see the bigger picture. If around Christmas when we were 17pts behind Leicester, if someone told me we’re just two points behind and one behind Ipswich, this scenario with five games to go a lot people would’ve said no that’s not realistic. We’ve done a lot to be proud of. In the last 24 hours, we’ve spoken about what we need to improve.