Daniel Farke ‘risks sack’ with Aaronson call for Middlesbrough v Leeds
Daniel Farke could have pushed himself closer to the sack with his selection decisions for Leeds United’s clash with Middlesbrough.
The Whites desperately need to secure victory at the Riverside Stadium (8 April) after falling to third place in the Championship.
The Elland Road outfit have fallen out of form at a critical juncture and it could define the German’s future in Yorkshire.
If they endure a similar heartbreak to last season and miss out on automatic promotion to the Premier League, it could be curtains for Farke.
Farke makes a mistake with Aaronson selection v Middlesbrough
Farke has made two changes from the side that were only able to secure a draw against relegation-threatened Luton, with Brendan Aaronson being the major beneficiary after he was dropped last time out.
Ilia Gruev also comes into the starting line-up with Pascal Struijk ruled out due to an injury that he suffered on Saturday (5 April).
The American attacking midfielder has been very inconsistent lately, so it is a major gamble to start him over Wilfried Gnonto in such an important contest.
📋 Your #LUFC Starting XI… pic.twitter.com/lqTNiuiNDB
— Leeds United (@LUFC) April 8, 2025
Leeds need to win against Middlesbrough
The Whites have won just one of their last six league matches and desperately need to arrest their poor run, otherwise Farke could pay the ultimate price.
Failure to win on Teeside would be disastrous and take them further away from Sheffield United and Burnley, who occupy the top two with six matches left to play.
| Championship | Played | GD | Points |
| 1. Sheffield United | 40 | +43 | 84 |
| 2. Burnley | 40 | +26 | 83 |
| 3. Leeds United | 40 | +51 | 82 |
Leeds’ away record is particularly concerning, with the Peacocks dropping points in 12 of their 20 matches on the road, winning just eight.
They need to fix that rotten record in the next few weeks if they are to have any chance of securing automatic promotion to the top flight, with away matches against Boro, Oxford United and Plymouth still to come.
Farke’s decision to drop Gnonto and go with Aaronson may not help his cause, as he is one of the Whites’ players and could have been crucial to the result on Tuesday.
He may come to regret it massively if his side misses out on their ambitions and he ultimately loses his job at the end of the campaign.