'Game of the season' — Leeds United boss on Stoke City stereotype and opponent upping levels — YEP 24/12/24
By Joe Donnohue
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke believes Stoke City have
'nothing to lose' on Boxing Day despite going eight games without a victory in
the Championship.
The Potters' winless run stretched to eight matches last
weekend as ten-man Sheffield Wednesday ran out 2-0 winners against the
Staffordshire club at Hillsborough.
Stoke boss Narcis Pelach is under pressure to turn the
team's fortunes around despite only being handed the job back in September.
Farke, on the other hand, has presided over nine straight
victories at Elland Road but Leeds' form on the road continues to elude.
On Boxing Day, Leeds visit the Bet365 Stadium looking for
only their fourth away win of the campaign, having drawn five and lost two of
their games away from Elland Road.
"Thank God it's not this cold, windy Tuesday night in
Stoke, so it helps a little bit," Farke said in preparation for the Boxing
Day visit.
"I've played there many, many games, and also [know]
the stadium, it's always difficult fixtures, also some impressive wins, I have
to say, in former years. But you always have to be on it, because they will use
this game like each and every team in their home game against Leeds United. It
is always quite often for them a game when they have nothing to lose, they can
go for it, quite often it's a sold out stadium, it's more or less the game of
the season for them. The home crowd is excited against Leeds United, perhaps
even a bit more on it than each and every other of their home games. But yeah,
we are Leeds United. We have a heavy shirt to represent and we know this, and
for that, we are used to the situation."
While Farke may be well-aware of the British footballing
stereotype that Stoke is a hard place to go for away teams, the manager is
taking nothing for granted.
The Potters, though, have picked up 14 points from 11
matches at home, the sixth-worst record in the division this season.
Last term, Leeds were beaten 1-0 in the Potteries, conceding
a late Pascal Struijk own goal after Patrick Bamford had earlier in the game
missed from the penalty spot.