Daniel Farke bravery finds new Leeds United blueprint amid ambiguity over when it will be re-used — Leeds Live 30/11/25
There is no guarantee that we will see the 3-5-2 formation start against Chelsea, going by post-match comments
Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter
Whether it will be enough for Daniel Farke in the long run
remains to be seen but Leeds United’s second half performance against
Manchester City buys him time at the very least.
You have to hand credit to the manager who, instead of
sticking with the status quo, made half time changes to try and turn the tide
against Premier League title challengers.
The game could have easily been written off at 2-0 down but
Farke showed his steel and ambition. Fans have called for him to be proactive
and divert from the status quo and he did that.
That second half performance was some of the best football
Leeds have played all season. Make no mistake, questions will still hang over
Farke's future.
But he has shown that he can adapt and he does have a
workable plan B. Whether that is enough will be determined in due course.
The change of set-up
Jaka Bijol and Dominic Calvert-Lewin were seen warming up at
half-time before heading down the tunnel early and they duly came on as
half-time substitutes. The change to the 3-5-2 formation worked a treat.
Asked why he made the change, Farke said it was down to
“passing angles” and the fact that United were being undone on the flanks. So
why didn’t Farke start with this formation?
Speaking sarcastically, he said: “It's just that easy, now
we play 5-3-2, and then we win each of the games and always perform at the top
level. If it would be that easy then probably anyone can be a Premier League
manager.”
But he added: “It always has to fit to a game, to a
structure. So the structure like how Man City play today, the way they pressed,
for that it was right because we had different passing angles.
“I couldn't have done it, for example, against Aston Villa
the other night because they had a completely different structure and the
pressing.”
So all that to say, supporters should not necessarily expect
that second half team and structure to start against Chelsea in midweek. Or is
he throwing a red herring...?
Confidence to take forward
While positives do need to start turning into points, this
felt like an important moment for Leeds, one where they know they can compete
with the best in this league with the right set-up.
After the 5-0 mauling at Arsenal, the difference in class
was clear. Many, if not all, onlookers therefore put this game down as a
write-off, especially with Anton Stach and Sean Longstaff out through injury.
Leeds didn’t only just match Man City but bettered them in
some phases. Both goals were no flukes but well deserved.
City may have won it in stoppage time to sink Leeds, but the
result will not drown them - in fact, the performance will do quite the
opposite with two home games to come against ‘big six’ clubs.
Calvert-Lewin ends goal drought
The Leeds striker netted his first goal in more than two
months shortly after coming on at half-time. The 28-year-old pounced on a loose
touch from Matheus Nunes to steer the ball into the net four minutes into the
second half.
Calvert-Lewin’s introduction changed the game - he was as
influential as the switch in system. Not only did he get his goal but he won
the penalty that allowed Lukas Nmecha to notch his fourth of the season.
