Credit: Imago

Scott Mason

Tue 24 March 2026 17:10, UK

Lukas Nmecha could be a surprise solution for Daniel Farke at Leeds United as the Whites continue to struggle in front of goal due to his goal-per-minute rate.

Heading into the international break, the Elland Road outfit are on a five-game run in the Premier League, where they have netted just one goal.

The form in front of goal has plunged the LS11 side back into the Premier League relegation battle, when for some time, they had looked to be creating a safety cushion on those below them.

When domestic football returns, Farke will have to find a solution to the Peacocks’ struggles, or else they could be heading towards the Championship.

Leeds’ remaining matches have an added importance now, and Nmecha could be a player Farke turns to in the next few weeks.

What is Lukas Nmecha’s goals per minute at Leeds this season?

Nmecha has found himself behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin for much of this season, as the German has only started nine times in the Premier League.

Throughout this campaign, the forward has netted on six occasions despite his limited minutes.

After the international break, Farke could put his trust in the 27-year-old based on how often he finds the net when playing.

Over the course of the season so far, Nmecha has the lowest goals-to-minutes total, with a goal every 149 minutes.

In comparison, Calvert-Lewin’s record is a goal every 212 minutes, with Noah Okafor standing at 326 minutes.

While there is a stark difference in the number of minutes each of the two have played compared to Nmecha, the former Wolfsburg man could still be worth trusting.

Nmecha did not take his chance against Brentford, but in truth, it felt like any of Leeds’ attacking threat was dwindled by Farke’s approach to the game.

Nmecha is better as a starter than an impact substitute for Leeds

Out of Nmecha’s six Premier League goals scored for Leeds, only two of them have come from the bench.

It is proof that the 27-year-old is much more influential when he starts games. In nine Premier League starts, the German has scored four goals.

• 25 Premier League appearances
• Nine starts
• 893 minutes played
• 36 minutes played per game average

Based on that data, it is hard to see why Farke does not seemingly trust him to lead the line more often.

History shows that given the minutes to play and a chance to start, he can find the net quite frequently. However, even if Nmecha’s poor game against Brentford was influenced by Leeds’ tactics, he should still look to perform better.