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Patrick Bamford revives Leeds’ belief at the beginning of a crucial week — The Athletic 23/4/24

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By Nancy Froston This is the time of the season for rolling the dice. A few weeks ago, nobody would have bet on Leeds United looking this defensively frail and the wins being this chaotic. During the period when they were 15 unbeaten and made up ground on the Championship’s top two so fast it looked like this would be plain sailing, it was easy to get carried away. But now every throw-in and every misplaced pass is huge. The pressure is smothering, the football erratic and every decision by Daniel Farke is a gamble given the potential consequences in such a tight promotion race. Even the teams with little left to play for are unwilling to roll over — Monday’s hectic 4-3 win at Middlesbrough was a case in point. Knowing when to hold to your principles and stick to the blueprint or take a punt on something different can define a season. Farke has been criticised for being too wedded to his plan and too slow to make substitutions during Leeds’ recent three-game winless run, but
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Leeds United manager's Gnonto order, Ayling's away end moment and off-camera Middlesbrough action — YEP 23/4/24

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Leeds United proved once again in their own inimitable way that they are not a football club for the faint of heart, at Middlesbrough on Monday. By Graham Smyth It was a must-win game and they did indeed win it, but not before putting their long-suffering fans through the wringer once more. Both teams deserved credit for going after the win and producing some lovely attacking football and good goals and though the officials had a hand in Willy Gnonto's strike, Leeds were worth at least four goals on the night. The three points were all that mattered at full-time, though, and the automatic promotion race is still on. Here's the YEP take on a mad night at the Riverside. Good day: Willy Gnonto. A seventh goal in 13 games since February and another performance full of promise and threat. He won five free-kicks to take pressure off and took his goal with real class. What impressed most about Gnonto's showing perhaps was how often he went into tackles to try and win the bal
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Leeds United's early play-off insight and Rutter argument - Graham Smyth's Middlesbrough Verdict — YEP 23/4/24

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This is the stage of the season when teams at either end of the Championship table make their names and make memories, good or bad, that will last a lifetime. By Graham Smyth For three months we knew what this Leeds United team was. They were the form team. They were winners. They were, in the words of so many opposition managers, a team with Premier League players. But the right to call themselves a Premier League team is one not yet earned. That's what the last three games at Middlesbrough, Queens Park Rangers and at home to Southampton had to offer - so long as a result or two went their way elsewhere - automatic promotion, a chance to be known as a top flight club once again, an opportunity to be remembered forever as too good for the Championship. The first of the last, at the Riverside, was a gateway. Win it and Leeds could bounce down to London on Friday night with confidence renewed and momentum back on their side. Lose it and you might as well start preparing for the
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Leeds show ‘great mentality’ to remain in promotion hunt after seven-goal thriller — Independent 23/4/24

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A dramatic win over Middlesbrough on Monday night saw Leeds climb to second in the table, overtaking Ipswich Rebecca Johnson Leeds manager Daniel Farke believes Leeds’ 4-3 victory over Middlesbrough was a “good advertisement” for Championship football. An end-to-end encounter at the Riverside produced five goals in just the first half, starting with the hosts taking an early lead through Isaiah Jones. Leeds netted two goals in 11 minutes when Summerville slotted home from the spot and Patrick Bamford came back to haunt the Riverside after bundling a goal home. Emmanuel Latte Lath drew Boro level on the 30 minute mark but Wilfried Gnonto restored the visitors’ advantage in a frenetic first 45 minutes. Summerville bagged his second of the game after the break with a curling strike and there was late drama when Latte Lath scored a looping header in the 87th minute but Leeds held on for the three points. Reflecting on a thrilling clash, Farke believes his players showed “grea
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Unseen Leeds United dressing room battle epitomises club motto as defender reveals he nearly threw up — YEP 23/4/24

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Leeds United full-back Junior Firpo says he nearly threw up on the pitch during the second half of Leeds' 4-3 win over Middlesbrough on Monday night but completed 90 minutes at the Riverside Stadium despite feeling under the weather. By Joe Donnohue The Dominican Republic international picked up a further two assists, taking his already impressive tally since the turn of the year to seven. His first of the evening came during a five-goal first half, whipping an inviting cross into the penalty area for centre-forward Patrick Bamford, who glanced the ball beyond a hesitant Seny Dieng to put Leeds in front. "I think with Patrick it's a really good relationship," he said. "We know each other really, really good. And we talk a lot during the week when I get the ball in certain places where he has to go and I think today we show it." Firpo's second assist demonstrated the progressive side to his attacking game, surging onto the ball in the middle of th
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Daniel Farke reveals nerves and addresses controversy and injuries in 'wild' win — YEP 22/4/24

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By Graham Smyth A Crysencio Summerville double and goals from Patrick Bamford and Willy Gnonto did the job for Leeds, but they made life incredibly difficult for themselves. Boro went ahead when Emmanuel Latte Lath went clean through and though he couldn’t finish, Isaiah Jones was on hand to find the net. Summerville’s penalty and Bamford bundling in a Junior Firpo cross swung the game Leeds’ way, before Lath equalised from outside the area. Gnonto scored from a clearly offside position to put Leeds back in front and Summerville struck on the hour mark with his trademark finish to seemingly seal the deal for the Whites. But Lath’s header, catching Illan Meslier off his line, kept the jeopardy in the match right to the end. The result sends Leeds back into second place on 90 points, a point ahead of Ipswich and one behind leaders Leicester City, both of whom have a game in hand. The tightness of the automatic promotion picture made it a must win game on Teesside. "You could s
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Middlesbrough 3 Leeds United 4: A game of the season and moment of the season contender from Crysencio Summerville as Leeds return to second after a Championship thriller — YEP 22/4/24

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A MEETING of these sides at the Riverside in the autumn of 2015 saw a Save Our Steel protest by Middlesbrough followers as they showed their support full-square behind the steelworkers at the SSI plant in nearby Redcar. By Leon Wobschall Judging by the noise surrounding their own team’s alarming recent on-pitch form when it truly matters in a season, agitated Leeds United fans were sending the equivalent of an SOS ahead of kick-off. Save our season - or more specifically save our season from extending into the dreaded play-offs which arrive with a health warning for everyone connected with Leeds. This game certainly came with a health warning. There were thrills, spills and bellyaches and five goals in a mad first half, just as there were in the opening period of a similarly pulsating basketball match in the reverse fixture at Elland Road. The pre-match conjecture centred on whether Boro would be pragmatic and play five at the back and choke up the space against Leeds and fol
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