Credit: Imago

Declan Carr

Wed 6 May 2026 16:10, UK

Daniel Farke will not be impressed with Jarred Gillett being appointed as referee for Leeds United‘s clash with Tottenham.

The Whites are seven points above the relegation zone with only nine left to play for, so a West Ham loss to Arsenal would confirm their survival.

If the Hammers pull off an unlikely result against the Champions-elect, then Farke’s side would need a victory against Spurs to confirm survival.

Therefore, it is a game that has high stakes in terms of the drop zone, and Gillett’s previous record against the Yorkshire side will provide concerns.

Leeds boss Farke will likely be furious with the announcement that the 39-year-old has been handed the responsibility for such an important match.

Why Farke will be livid with Gillett appointment for Tottenham vs Leeds

Farke will want a comfortable end to the season for Leeds, rather than one which sees them dragged back into the battle.

He has previously slammed Gillett for a decision that went against his side in their 3-1 loss to Nottingham Forest in November, so he will be livid that he is in charge again.

The referee handed the Tricky Trees a free-kick, against Anton Stach, although it appeared to be a foul on the German, and they scored from it.

Speaking after that game, the Peacocks’ boss said: “This was the first big mistake of the referee, because I think he was the only one in the whole stadium who saw a foul by Anton Stach.

“It was 100% a foul against [Stach]. They put the ball long. From the second ball, the cross comes in and the goal comes five seconds later. We would have definitely preferred to play by the rules today, but we are also self-critical.”

What is Leeds record under Gillett?

Leeds’ record when Gillett is the man in the middle, especially this season, makes for grim reading.

Overall, they have played 10 matches, with just three victories, four draws and three losses, meaning that they fail to win 70 per cent of the time that he referees their matches.

In the 2025/26 campaign, they have had five games in which he has been in charge, and they have not won a single one.

The first was the 5-0 loss to Arsenal in the second league game of the season, he then took charge of the loss to Forest, before the 1-1 draw with Manchester United in January.

Gillett then officiated the 0-0 draw in the league against Brentford in March, and then 1-0 loss to Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final in April.

It is a negative omen for the LS11 side, but they will be keen to push the narrative aside, and secure their top-flight status for the new season.