Joey Barton sends immediate message after Leeds United loss v Portsmouth
Joey Barton has had his say after Leeds United tasted defeat against Portsmouth on Sunday.
The Whites suffered their first defeat since late November at Fratton Park on 9 March thanks to a second half Colby Bishop strike.
Daniel Farke won’t have been impressed by the performance which saw his side miss the chance to open a gap at the top of the Championship, finishing 1-0.
Now with the race for promotion seemingly wide open, Barton has put forward his hope for the rest of the season after the result on the south coast.
Barton praises Portsmouth after win v Leeds United
It was far from the best performance from Leeds as Illan Meslier came under fire again for what could be seen as yet another error.
This only amplified frustration after Dan James wasn’t awarded a penalty in the first half, but in retrospect, the home side deserved their win in the end.
This sparked a reaction from Barton on X (9 March) as he congratulated Pompey boss John Mousinho for his work.
He said: “Cracking game in the Championship. Pompey and Leeds. Big win for Pompey. Great job done by John Mousinho.”
The former Burnley midfielder also shared his desire to see his old side earn a place in the Premier League by the end of the campaign.
He added: “Just blown the title race wide open. Come on Burnley. Up the Clarets”
Leeds must move on quickly from Portsmouth setback
There is no doubt that the Whites are still the favourites to earn a place in the Premier League by the end of the season.
To go over three months without a defeat does allow falling to an odd defeat, as long as it doesn’t become a constant problem, as it did last season.
Farke’s side now sit level on points with Sheffield United and just two points ahead of Burnley with ten games now remaining in the second tier.
| Position | Team | Games played | Goal difference | Points |
| 1. | Leeds United | 36 | +49 | 76 |
| 2. | Sheffield United | 36 | +24 | 76 |
| 3. | Burnley | 36 | +29 | 74 |
The German head coach won’t focus on this and instead will look ahead to an upcoming home clash against Millwall where his side will look to make up for the FA Cup defeat.
It will certainly be interesting to see if Leeds can bounce back quickly and avoid a slump with such limited time remaining in the season.