Liverpool incident emerges as Farke caught in ‘Ridiculous’ Leeds United controversy
Daniel Farke returned to the Elland Road dugout at the weekend as Leeds United played out a 1-1 draw with West Brom.
While Leeds wanted better than a point at Elland Road (1 March), it still adds to the total and extends the unbeaten run for a team and a manager for whom promotion appears to be edging closer.
The Whites got themselves into this ideal position with crucial late victories over promotion rivals Sunderland and Sheffield United on successive Monday nights, though controversy did follow.
Farke punishment ‘ridiculous’, says Darke
Should Leeds United see the job over the line this time around and return to the Premier League, they will certainly look back at Pascal Struijk’s late double to beat Sunderland at Elland Road (17 February).
The pandemonium around the stadium was not comparable to too many recent moments, with Farke himself swept up in the emotion and ending up on the pitch.
The celebration landed the German with a third booking of the season, and consequently banned from the touchline for the trip to Bramall Lane the following week.
It was a decision which drew comparisons to the touchline suspension for Liverpool manager Arne Slot, who was issued a red card by Michael Oliver in the recent Merseyside derby with Everton (12 February).
TV commentator Ian Darke was among those to slam the decision on Farke, while indifferent towards Slot’s ban.
“The touchline ban for Farke, I have one word on that. Ridiculous,” Darke exclusively told MOT Leeds News.
“Frankly, it was utterly ridiculous, and thinking back to that – it should have just been a quick word from the referee. Just stay in your box.
“There was one with Arne Slot recently as well – that one’s slightly different because I don’t know the exact nature of the conversation he had with Michael Oliver. I’m going to presume he said something not too savoury and beyond the line.”
Leeds United on course for 100 points
Leeds earning six points out of six against Sunderland and Sheffield United was vital, even if the West Brom draw was a missed opportunity.
At the end of the day, no team will win every single game and with 76 points from 35 games, it remains very possible that the Whites could become centurions with 24 more points from a possible 33.
| POS | Championship points-per-game 2024-25 | PPG |
| 1 | Leeds United | 2.17 |
| 2 | Sheffield United | 2.14 |
| 3 | Burnley | 2.00 |
| 4 | Sunderland | 1.86 |
| 5 | Coventry | 1.51 |
| 6 | West Brom | 1.49 |
The momentum is still there; the squad is outrageously talented for Championship level, and Farke will have learnt many lessons from last season when 90 points wasn’t enough.
Leeds next take on Portsmouth in an early televised kick-off at Fratton Park this Sunday (9 March), before hosting Millwall at Elland Road (12 March).