LEEDS UNITED CHIEF DANIEL FARKE'S TAKE ON A 'WILD' NIGHT AT MIDDLESBROUGH AND PRAISE FOR BOTH SIDES AFTER A CHAMPIONSHIP CLASSIC

LEEDS UNITED manager Daniel Farke expressed his relief after a ‘wild’ encounter at Middlesbrough went the visitors’ way as they secured a priceless victory in their quest to achieve automatic promotion - despite being given a major scare by the hosts in a tense but thrilling 4-3 win.

After going behind early on through Isaiah Jones’ opener for Boro, Leeds led 3-2 at the break thanks to goals from Crysencio Summerville (pen), Patrick Bamford and Willy Gnonto, with replays showing that the latter’s goal was offside. Emmanuel Latte Lath netted Boro’s other goal.

Leeds went 4-2 in front on 62 minutes after a brilliant strike from Summerville, his 20th of the campaign, but Latte Lath’s second goal late on set up a grandstand finish.

Boro went desperately close to a leveller at the death, but Leeds held out to move back into second spot and they could extend their advantage over Ipswich Town to four points if they win at QPR on Friday.

Ipswich return to action on Saturday evening at Hull City.

Farke said: “I think first of all it was a good advertisement for Championship football and all the supporters enjoyed the game between two good sides who really went for it and wanted to win and massive compliments to the lads to win this.

"The game started in the worst possible way for us and it was really unlucky and disappointing, a deflected pass and they scored.

"Middlesbrough played with freedom and it was more or less their last highlight and they could go for it and were 1-0 up early on and the whole stadium was buzzing versus Leeds United.

"With some many young players, to show such a reaction and create so many chances and score fantastic goals was great.

"At times, we had were a bit naive and it was a bit of a basketball game and we lost the ball unnecessarily in our half. But compliments to Middlesbrough, it was a fantastic performance.

"We showed a great mentality to go 3-2 up at half-time. It was important to calm them down and their nerves down against the ball and work a bit more on our structure against the bar and we controlled the game more with the ball in the second half.

"They had more possession, but we had chances on the counterattack and scored a goal and had chances to bury the game.

"Then it’s football and the Championship. Out of one long ball, they scored to make it 3-4 and it was a tight game again from a long ball and a crazy game of football for the last minutes and their keeper was in our box more than theirs.

"It was a great mentality and the stadium was awake and you feel the pressure and you want to win the game that much and some players were there with knocks on the pitch and it was difficult.

"We had to show some steel and resilience to grind it out and we did.

“Many compliments for the hard mentality and character of our players and offensive quality. At times, it was a bit wild.

"But I was happy with the whole team. I am happy as we were at our best level attacking wise.”

2024-04-22T22:38:37Z dg43tfdfdgfd