Why Leeds United boss Daniel Farke is appeased despite a Christmas that was not 'perfect' — Yorkshire Post 3/1/24

THE TWO title winners’ medals among his own personal collection suggests that Leeds United manager Daniel Farke knows what he is doing when it comes to the Championship.

By Leon Wobschall

The Christmas period, traditionally an important marker in any league season, could have gone better for Farke, for sure, but it could have certainly been worse. Home victories over a direct promotion rival in Ipswich and struggling Birmingham bookended a spell of four games in ten days which also incorporated away defeats at West Brom and Preston.

Perfect was not the word to describe the form of others as well, that said - and more especially Ipswich.

The East Anglians’ hold on the second automatic promotion slot is more tenuous than it was following a five-match winless sequence, which has seen them take four points from a possible 15 with one or two injuries and suspensions also starting to kick in.

Southampton, in third place and unbeaten in 18 league matches, are just three points behind Ipswich, who are seven in front of Leeds. The race for the second top-two spot to surely accompany Leicester to the Premier League is very much live.

Farke, whose Leeds side have just one less point than his Norwich team did at the same stage of the 2018-19 season when they went up as champions, said: “It’s always a bit difficult because you want a perfect festive period.

"After it, you have to say it’s not perfect as we have lost a few points to Southampton for example and one position in the table.

"But on the other hand, we have to protect our points difference to position seven and we are still sitting comfortably in the top six and have improved our goal difference a lot and closed the gap from ten points to seven points right now.

"Yes, I would have preferred to close it a bit better, but when you work for such a long time and have played a few seasons at Championship level, you cannot win them all especially during the festive period when you have four games.

"Yes, we can work a bit on the consistency on the road when sometimes decisions go against us and grind out a result when sometimes the circumstances are a bit difficult. But we have a really young side and I think we are definitely on a good path, overall."

Meanwhile, Farke has confirmed that he plans to speak to defender Charlie Cresswell about his future shortly, with several Championship clubs said to be keen to sign him on loan, with Middlesbrough and Blackburn among those being linked with the England under-21 player.

The 21-year-old has found opportunities hard to come by this season, despite signing a new four-year deal in August.

On Cresswell, who did not make the match-day squad on Monday, Farke added: "He is one of our own and a great lad and we always trust him.

"We have a lot of competition, but it’s also important he is really happy with the challenge he is facing here.

"We will have some conversations over the next few weeks. From our side, there is no will to let him go.

"But it is important to speak about what the player wants and we will see happens over the next few weeks."