Credit: Imago

Scott Mason

Mon 20 April 2026 10:40, UK

Daniel Farke will not be happy with the official appointment as his Leeds United gear up to take on Bournemouth.

The Whites look assured to stay in the Premier League, sitting on 39 points with five games left of this season.

It would take a remarkable collapse for the LS11 outfit to go down from this position, but focus will still be on obtaining as many points as possible.

With Leeds in FA Cup action at Wembley, following their trip down south, the Peacocks will want to garner momentum ahead of their clash against Chelsea.

However, with Michael Salisbury selected to referee Bournemouth against Leeds, the Whites manager will fear his side’s chances.

Michael Salisbury will take charge of Bournemouth vs Leeds

Salisbury will take charge of Leeds’ trip to Bournemouth, as confirmed by the Premier League.

The Lancashire-born official has officiated in 10 Premier League matches this season, with him proving to be quite whistle-happy over his appearances thus far.

Salisbury dishes out 4.5 yellow cards per game this season while also maintaining a record of 0.7 penalties awarded per match.

In his last Leeds game, Salisbury had plenty of decisions to make, including a penalty given for both sides. However, Farke was less than impressed with the decision at the time.

And it is perhaps one reason as to why he may be fearing this fixture.

Why Daniel Farke won’t be happy with Michael Salisbury appointment

Salisbury has only taken charge of one Leeds United match this season, and Farke was left upset following the final whistle.

Additionally, in four Premier League matches officiating Leeds matches since 2022-2023, the LS11 have won just one of those fixtures.

In the most recent of those games, as the Whites lost late on to Newcastle in a 4-3 thriller, the Geordies were given a penalty with just minutes left in normal time, a decision Farke wholeheartedly disagreed with.

At the time of the referee’s call, the Peacocks were 3-2 up.

In that moment, Brenden Aaronson chased down the ball, with a cross striking his hand from close range. The American could not do much about it.

And then Alan Shearer, a Newcastle supporter, agreed with Farke, highlighting just how poor of a decision it truly was.

Overall, it is certainly not the greatest of omens as the Whites look to secure a win and head into this weekend’s FA Cup semi-final with as much confidence as possible.