Daniel Farke has worrying trend to buck as Leeds now worst across Europe’s major leagues
Leeds United gave themselves a huge mountain to climb after Hugo Ekitike’s brace put Liverpool two goals up in the second half of Saturday’s 3-3 draw.
Leeds mounted a fightback to level the scores at 2-2, before Dominik Szoboszlai swiftly made it 3-2 to the visitors.
Ao Tanaka scored a dramatic equaliser against Liverpool to secure another valuable point for Daniel Farke‘s side and sent Elland Road into euphoria.
The result moved the Peacocks into 16th place, and this week has reinvigorated the belief among supporters that Premier League survival is more than achievable.
Farke’s 3-5-2 tactic has worked wonders, although he has to address the alarming number of goals that have been conceded straight after half-time.
Leeds have dreadful record at start of second half of games
Saturday wasn’t the only time that Leeds have failed to get going straight after half-time, with goals being conceded within five minutes of the restart against both Arsenal and Aston Villa earlier in the season.
At such a definitive point of a match, the Peacocks have looked fragile, and that surely boils down to a stale attitude after the break.
Following Ekitike‘s brace, Leeds have conceded five goals in the first five minutes after half-time this season, and this total is two more than any other side in Europe’s top-five leagues.
| Stat | Leeds |
| Wins | 4 |
| Draws | 3 |
| Losses | 8 |
| Points | 15 |
Supporters must be confused as to what’s being said in the half-time team talks, because Farke’s methods of motivation aren’t working at all.
Leeds picked up four points against Chelsea and Liverpool, but Farke still remains under pressure as the 49ers continue to look for potential replacements.
Leeds are expected to be relegated, and all it takes is for a couple of bad results to put the German manager right back in the firing line.
The margins in football are incredibly small, and Farke needs to find a way of preventing his side from repeating the same mistakes.
- Read more: Leeds United open talks for Barcelona gem who’s been hailed a ‘top-level’ player – Exclusive
What can Daniel Farke do to stop conceding goals after half-time?
There are a number of factors that could explain Leeds’ problem, although it fundamentally boils down to lapses in concentration.
Ekitike’s first goal came as a result of Joe Rodon’s woeful pass, and the French striker never looked like missing the opportunity.
In the top flight, Leeds have been exposed for poor defensive mistakes far more than they would have hoped, especially given the fact that they only conceded 30 goals in the entirety of the 2024-25 Championship season.
Ultimately, Farke can’t do much, although it does feel as if his words don’t carry much weight, and that Leeds have only come back in matches due to the terrific support from fans.
Matches against Brentford, Crystal Palace, and Sunderland could have a huge say on Leeds’ ambitions for 2026, and conceding sloppy goals has to come to a halt immediately if they want to steer further clear of the relegation zone.
Enjoyed this article? Stay connected with all the latest Leeds United news, updates, and behind-the-scenes content by following us on our new Instagram account –@motleedsnews