Daniel Farke reveals Leeds United injury aftermath following Watford rout and big Sunderland clash team news — YEP 14/2/25

By Joe Donnohue

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke previews next Monday's Championship fixture against promotion-chasing Sunderland at Elland Road.

The Leeds boss is expected to provide an update on the injured members of his squad, including Patrick Bamford who continues his rehabilitation from a hamstring injury picked up at the beginning of the year.

United were in excellent form in midweek, seeing off Watford by four goals to nil, much to Farke's delight as the Whites moved onto 69 points from 32 games this season.

Leeds have maintained a largely clean bill of health for much of the campaign and are keen to ensure they continue in the same vein during the final straight en route to what they hope is automatic promotion.

Sunderland were victorious on Wednesday, defeating Luton Town 2-0 at the Stadium of Light, and are unbeaten in their last eight Championship outings since a 2-1 loss at the hands of Stoke City over the festive period.

Daniel Farke press conference LIVE

Farke on Sunderland

Regis is pretty experienced manager, proved this during his career. We know the potential of Sunderland, fully aware before the season started, really good individual players, youth, energy and talent, as well as experienced players who can lead the group. They play with enthusiasm and fire and individual signings in the offense are shining. Young players with confidence and rhythm, developing week-to-week, one of the best sides in this league. We have to be good to control their offensive players. Not easy to open them and score goals against them. Should’ve won the last game against them, it was close, dominated periods. Need same level of performance again to reward ourselves with a result. Like all the games against a top team, tight game, need to be good with the details and this will be decisive.

Farke on possession at Watford

We spoke a while ago about decision-making. When you’re sitting a bit deeper and Watford risking more players with a high row, you have a tendency to choose transition moment a bit too often and give the ball away too early, but if you’re so strong in the last game at executing counter-attacks, of course you want to go for it. We like to dominate possession but it’s not always the best choice to be there with 80 per cent possession. Sometimes you accept you can dominate the game against the ball. Against top sides you have to accept their quality and they will have periods of the game. You can control the game without the ball. In these terms it was a good game at Watford but sometimes our decision-making could have been there to go for possession and take their belief, exhaust them a bit more, recharge when you keep the ball, instead of attacking all the time with pulse to 100. It could’ve been better but nevertheless I was happy.

Farke on long-term planning

It’s a bit complicated, of course, because the financial resources differ if you extend your contract of a very expensive player for the Ch’ship, or the other way round, if you can afford to be there with a Premier League signing. For that you have to be a bit more careful in terms of planning, we want to be sustainable, can’t do crazy things and risk the mid and long-term future. I think it’s the same situation for every team. Quite often you don’t know before May which league you will play. Once you play a play-off final, you can start the planning in June or whatever, sometimes when you’re cruising easily several points ahead, we had this with Burnley a couple of years ago, it’s a bit easier. But normally in this crazy league, you can fulfil your concrete plans pretty late, or at least to finalise it. I think it’s important to prepare a few options. The quicker you are there with your decisions in key positions, the better it is for your planning. Important not to get carried away, must be successful in every game right now.

Farke on Ampadu at centre-back/centre-mid

Very pleased in both aspects, obviously Ethan Ampadu labelled him several times, key player, no coincidence he’s our captain, missed him for such a long time, we have to be careful when to give him a few minutes of a break when the game is won. I will try to do this because he was out with a serious injury for such a long time. He’s so important. Helped a lot in centre-back position, outstanding job with Joe Rodon. No doubt they proved this last season. There with many clean sheets. On the other hand, happy to have Pascal back, struggling with a few back-to-back injuries during Christmas period then out during January. Happy to give him 90 mins against Millwall but then wouldn’t send him straight away into the game three days later after being out. Match experience back is important, it’s good we don’t have to rush him into the team and risk another long-term injury. In full rhythm and confidence he will play a key role for us. Due to the strength of Ethan in central defensive role and our central midfielders, we can afford not to rush Pascal back into the starting lineup. But we also know we need Pascal defensive skills, defending set-pieces for example, soon as he’s back to full fitness.

Farke on teams going for the kill

The problem is you don’t know you start the attack the outcome is to score a goal. It’s more like a bit about the decision-making, when there is a good situation to go for a counter-attack or speed up the game. Then there is not the perfect moment and this is the [time] to prepare. You can label it instinct or coincidence but I don’t believe in coincidence in football. We work on the training pitch, we start our attacks when we have perfect structure. Especially in terms of counter-attacks it’s important, where you win the ball and how the structure of the opponent is, to realise this in one or two seconds, the quality of a player to realise this. The more often you bring him to this situation, the easier it is for him under pressure to make the correct decision. You don’t always deliver a perfect decision but this is something you work on on the training pitch. If we overdo it and hold the pace too high, we offer some mistakes. Sometimes necessary to calm the down a bit, recharge in possession, this is something which comes with a bit more experience and you develop this leadership. You can educate this and work on it on the training pitch, in meetings when you show scenes in video.

Farke on Sunderland

It’s in general a brave side, they’ve scored many goals, can score more or less out of all positions. It’s always important many players chip in with goals, can open an opponent with a goal from defender at set-piece. We know Sunderland has the skills but it’s also important to control their attacking players, the counter-attacks, to be switched on to avoid assists from defensive roles. I spoke earlier about complex task for us, we have to be good in many different areas. We hope to bring our strength on the pitch.

Farke on Tanaka

I think overall it’s important he’s playing a central role for us, doesn’t matter if you’re 18 or 34, lots of experience or not much, if your English is perfect and fluent or sometimes need to use Japanese words, you have to lead and make sure everyone is on the same page. In football we pretty much have one language. To lead by example on the pitch and good performances, to give a few hints in central roles, this is what I expected. The central roles are always in the heart of our games, to be there with commands, he’s not the biggest leader in terms of speaking and words but he plays a crucial role and this is what he has to deliver.

Farke on Ed Wootten [goalkeeping coach]

Compliments to Ed, we’ve worked together quite a long time, great character, good for the group, not just the goalkeepers. Interacts with the field players, gives hints to offensive players on their finishing. He has a major influence in many situations but especially how he handles the situation with our group of goalkeepers, pretty focused and competitive. Good spirit in that group, and this is down to Ed. Even when there is criticism or a challenging time, with his empathy and man-management skills, he’s pretty helpful. He’s open and critical and honest but they feel supported and trusted by him.

Farke on Meslier form

Like I spoke a few weeks before, Illan is a self-critical young man. Not happy when there’s a game, for example at Hull, he’s not at his best. The only answer is after a shaky period, to work even harder on the training pitch. This is what he did. He is focused every day, pretty settled and concentrated. It’s what you have to do in a side that dominates many games. Sometimes he has to be there with a first save after 60 minutes, pretty switched on. Compliments to his good work, played a major part, many clean sheets, number of clean sheets, pretty impressive, so far I’m happy with this but it’s also what we expect. He was in last season’s team of the season and we expect him to make the saves and consistency of performances like last weeks and months. We want him to keep going. If you want to be successful in this league you need a top No. 1.

Farke on injuries

After long season in Championship, you have to deal with a few injuries. Touch wood, to have everyone available - Max and Patrick aside - is good. We have many crucial games and you want the players available in best possible shape. It’s the best situation you can have as a manager.

Farke on injuries

We expect him [Wober] back after the next international break in March. He will be out for six weeks. The last days [for Patrick Bamford] were not ideal. He will need another 10 days of individual rehab training. He won’t return to training before the Sheffield [United] game. He needs to be there with full ability to sprint and that’s not the case yet. We expect him to join us in team training after the Sheffield [United] game.