Mighty Leeds Weblog

A point each in the Yorkshire derby. Leeds United came from a goal behind against Hull City at the MKM Stadium to take a point in East Yorkshire, but will feel they should have had all three. Daniel Farke’s side were a goal down at the interval but a strong second half showing in this Yorkshire derby saw three goals scored, but a late comeback of their own from the hosts meant both teams had to settle for a point. In a first opening of the game, a long searching ball over the top of the Leeds defence saw Abu Kamara race through on goal and with Illan Meslier coming out to close the angle, the midfielder lobbed the ball over the ‘keeper and found the back of the net to give Hull an early lead. Almost equalising immediately, Ethan Ampadu burst forward from the back and through the home midfield. He played the ball left to Manor Solomon who somehow saw his shot blocked on the line, before the follow up from Joel Piroe was deflected wide for a corner. Shortly after, the Whites ca...

By Graham Smyth Daniel Farke refused to point fingers at Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier after his costly mistakes as the Whites threw away a two-goal lead to draw 3-3 with Hull City. Hull hit the front with just five minutes played when Abu Kamara ran off the back of Max Wober to stride onto a diagonal ball and loft it over the stranded Meslier. Leeds could have levelled quickly but Manor Solomon, Joel Piroe and Brenden Aaronson all missed good chances. It was not all one-way traffic in the first half though, and Regan Slater struck the post with the goal gaping after a cross squirmed through the Whites’ six-yard box. A madcap second half began with a bang with Ao Tanaka scoring his first goal for the club with a spectacular curling effort and then Leeds assumed control with Dan James’ goal. But a goalkeeping howler from Meslier, who dropped the ball at the feet of Joao Pedro, allowed Hull back into it. And when Meslier came for a punch and got nothing on it, the ball fe...

By Lee Sobot Leeds were tasked with answering a Burnley call in Saturday’s clash at Hull City. Leeds United’s lead at the top of the Championship is down to just a point after a rollercoaster ride sickener at Hull City somehow ended in a 3-3 draw. Daniel Farke’s Whites entered the weekend three points clear at the top of the division but second-placed Burnley put themselves level with Leeds through a 1-0 victory at Blackburn Rovers in a Saturday lunchtime kick-off. Despite falling behind in just the fifth minute, a brilliant second-half comeback had Leeds on course to answer Burnley’s call as they led 3-1 at Hull heading into the final nine minutes. Yet two goalkeeping blunders from Whites stopper Illan Meslier led to Hull securing a 3-3 draw which has left Leeds just one point clear in top spot due to the additional double blow of both Burnley and Sheffield United both winning. Chris Wilder’s Blades also began the weekend three points behind Leeds in third place but record...

Punters at a football pub "went mental" after former Leeds United captain Liam Cooper treated them to free beers. The 33-year-old, who recently left the club after a 10- year spell, was invited back to Elland Road as a special guest for the match against Blackburn Rovers on New Year's Day. The Old Peacock is opposite the ground and is a traditional gathering place for fans on match days. Cooper, who now plays in the Bulgarian First League for CSKA Sofia, popped into the pub and put £1,000 behind the bar. His visit was unannounced and he was "completely unknown" until drinkers started to ask for photos and a barmaid recognised him. Staff member Billy said: "Dawn was behind the bar and she told us she had thought it was Liam Cooper and asked him to come behind the bar for a picture. "He offered us £1,000 to pay for fans' drinks, so we handed out cans of lager to everyone. "They absolutely loved it, they went mental. He still has go...

By Kyle Newbould Leeds United have a decision to make on their left-back’s future. Leeds United will be losing one of their leaders if Junior Firpo opts to find pastures new in the summer, according to manager Daniel Farke. Firpo is one of three first-team squad members whose current contract expires in the summer - Sam Byram and Josuha Guilavogui being the other two - and the apparent lack of talks over an extension has fuelled uncertainty over his future. As of New Year’s Day, the 28-year-old is free to speak with foreign clubs and can come to a pre-contract agreement, effectively confirming an exit once this season is up. Farke has swatted away recent questions on Firpo’s future, instead urging his left-back to focus on recovering from a hamstring injury that has kept him out for almost a month. But the Dominican Republic international’s growing stature within the squad is difficult to ignore and any decision on his future will be a big one. Farke’s Firpo verdict “You al...

By Kyle Newbould The Leeds United manager’s substitutions have often been questioned but came off to keep the Elland Road unbeaten streak going on Wednesday. Daniel Farke has regularly been criticised for the nature of his substitutions but the YEP’s chief football writer Graham Smyth insists those changes worked during Wednesday’s 1-1 draw against Blackburn Rovers. Leeds United’s nine-game home winning run came to an end on New Year’s Day, with some sloppy defending allowing Danny Batth to level from a corner almost instantly after Pascal Struijk’s late penalty. The game was crawling towards a tight 0-0 before bursting into life late on, with Farke’s side carving out enough chances to re-take the lead during 10 minutes of added-time. In such games, fans have often questioned Farke’s ability to change things with his substitutions, while an insistence on waiting until the 70-minute mark can frustrate those inside Elland Road. There was nearly a break from tradition when Willy G...

By Graham Smyth Leeds United boss Daniel Farke says his door is always open to a player questioning their game time but has offered an explanation for why Isaac Schmidt was left on the bench against Blackburn Rovers. With the second half not yet five minutes old and Max Wober already on for Sam Byram, Farke had a decision to make at full-back on the other side of the pitch. Jayden Bogle went down with a dead leg and Schmidt, a natural replacement, was sent out to warm-up. But when Bogle limped off and the change came it was club captain and central midfielder Ethan Ampadu who ran on to play on the right-hand side. When asked if he would offer an explanation to Schmidt, if the Swiss defender had questions over his lack of game time after such a scenario, Farke offered one publicly. "My door is always open, once a player comes he always gets an honest answer," said Farke. "Sometimes you're proactive in order to explain if you feel there is a bit to explain. Of ...

By Leon Wobschall SHEFFIELD UNITED manager Chris Wilder says his players will take their 2-1 reverse to rivals Sunderland firmly 'on the chin' after the promotion chasers' winless streak extended to three Championship matches. The injury-hit Blades' tough Christmas and New Year period continued with defeat on Wearside, with Sunderland now just two points behind Wilder's third-placed side. United spurned a great chance to take the lead at the Stadium of Light with keeper Anthony Patterson blocking Keiffer Moore's penalty after Luke O'Nien was penalised for fragging the Welsh international back. Eliezer Mayenda gave the home side a 27th-minute lead after the visitors switched off, but United soon levelled when O'Nien headed it into his own net. However, the Black Cats quickly regained the advantage when Wilson Isidor fired home after more loose play from the Blades. There were no further goals with Sunderland being the big winners on a day whic...

By Graham Smyth There is nothing quite like the Championship to sober up an expectant, giddy and merry stadium full of Leeds United supporters. Even on a day synonymous with new beginnings, resolutions and determination to go a different way, this league can drag you back to a place that feels old and depressingly familiar. A 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers was a bit like that. So much so that there is simply no way anyone would want to relive it or read a blow-by-blow account of a 100-minute contest that was largely forgettable. It didn't explode to life until 88 minutes were played. So instead of a traditional YEP Verdict, here are some of the things we can debate, fall out over or agree to disagree on from a stinker of a New Year's Day fixture. Daniel Farke had a Plan B and it worked One of the criticisms of Marcelo Bielsa was that he did not have or believe in a Plan B. When Plan A wasn't working, Bielsa's belief was that you should stick to Plan A but do...

A late goal each means the points are shared. To begin the calendar year of 2025, Leeds United faced a tough opponent in John Eustace’s visiting Rovers side at Elland Road. In a hard-fought game throughout, both goals came in the final minutes of the match, as Pascal Struijk’s penalty was quickly cancelled out by Danny Batth’s close-range leveller to share the points. Whilst the Whites sat top of the Sky Bet Championship table, the away side were in fifth after a strong opening half of the campaign and had recently won the reverse fixture with a one-nil scoreline. Getting underway on the afternoon of New Year’s Day, the opening 10 minutes or so were quiet in terms of big chances, but Leeds had the majority of the early possession. Pascal Struijk forced Aynsley Pears into a routine save from a header off a Brenden Aaronson corner. Moments later the ‘keeper was nearly caught out by Joel Piroe who charged him down, but the Rovers stopper hacked the ball away at the final moment....

By Tom Coates Leeds United’s first fixture of 2025 presented Daniel Farke with an opportunity to settle a score. His inability to outwit John Eustace stands as one of the few blemishes on his record as Whites boss, with Farke simply having been outmanoeuvred on more than one occasion by his opposite number. Eustace’s Birmingham City were the first side to beat Farke’s Leeds in the Championship, all the way back in August 2023. Farke is not the type to be dragged into words of war, but finding a way to beat Eustace will have most likely been on his list of New Year’s resolutions. Unfortunately for Farke, the monkey remains very much on his back. Leeds gently knocked on the door early on, as opposed to forcing their way through. Build-up play was patient and measured, with Blackburn’s tight and well-drilled structure proving difficult to circumvent. There were some early indications Leeds would get joy but Blackburn are rarely easy to open up. Jet-heeled Dan James won an ea...

By Graham Smyth Daniel Farke says Leeds United’s recruitment department is prepared for any scenario but believes the injury situation against Blackburn Rovers will not be serious enough warrant transfer activity in January. It looked all-too-briefly like Leeds would make it 10 straight wins at Elland Road on New Year’s Day when Pascal Struijk put them ahead with an 88th-minute penalty. But a scrambled equaliser two minutes later from a Blackburn corner, finished off by Danny Batth, gave the visitors the point they came for. Leeds, who were frustrated by Rovers’ defensive solidity and spoiler tactics for the vast majority of the fixture, piled forward in search of a winner but Blackburn stood strong. The game was a costly one for Farke, who had to replace Sam Byram at the break and then lost Jayden Bogle to injury inside the first five minutes of the second half. According to the German, Byram was suffering with a cold and tiredness while Bogle’s problem was not a significant one...

By Lee Sobot Blackburn Rovers provided the new year opposition for Leeds United at Elland Road. Leeds United's 2025 started with huge frustration, an injury blow and a crazy ending as the New Year's Day hosting of Championship visitors Blackburn Rovers ended in a 1-1 draw. Championship leaders Leeds were seeking a tenth home win in succession but a very organised Blackburn team frustrated the hosts until a dramatic ending which began when Leeds were awarded an 88th-minute penalty. Pascal Struijk coolly converted the spot kick to send Elland Road wild but joy turned to despair just two minutes later as Rovers equalised as Leeds failed to clear a corner from which Danny Batth hooked the ball home from close range. The draw still extended the Leeds advantage over Sheffield United to three points but with the Blades having a game in hand at Sunderland on New Year’s Day night. Burnley were also held to a draw at home to Stoke City but still moved above the Blades on goal...

Luke Phelps Leeds United’s Jack Harrison has certainly endured a tough first half of the season on loan at Everton. Now, emerging news from Goodison Park could spell the end for the winger. Leeds United’s Jack Harrison has so far featured 17 times for Everton in the Premier League this season. But the 28-year-old is yet to score or assist a single goal, with the Toffees struggling down in 16th place of the Premier League table. There’s been a lot of talk about Harrison. Everton boss Sean Dyche has spoken about Harrison’s issues, insisting that the winger is just waiting for the penny to drop. But amid Everton’s goal-scoring woes, something needs to be done. The Toffees have scored just 15 goals in the league this season. Now with the January transfer window open, it looks like the perfect time for Everton to hit the transfer market and salvage their Premier League status for another season. And that’s exactly what they intend on doing. Emerging reports (via Goodison News) h...

By Stuart Rayner As others have stumbled over Christmas, manager Daniel Farke says Leeds United are not focusing on trying to put pressure on their Championship title rivals. Consecutive victories over Stoke City and Derby County have seen the Whites pull off a five-point swing over Sheffield United to take their place at the top of the table. They have also picked up two points on Burnley, and five on Sunderland. That Leeds play before Sunderland host Sheffield United on New Year's Day gives them an opportunity to tighten the thumbscrews. But facing the last side to beat them – Blackburn Rovers – should ensure their minds are solely on the job in hand at Elland Road on Wednesday. "I'm not sure if anyone feels extra pressure just because we are winning games," argued Farke. "We just want to focus on ourselves and not let the standards drop. "If it's a home game or an away game, an opponent in the top positions or fighting relegation we always...