Premier League announcement for Leeds vs West Ham bad for Daniel Farke, just ask Neil Warnock
Daniel Farke is in need of a positive result when Leeds United take on West Ham in their next Premier League outing.
Leeds were beaten 2-0 by Burnley at Turf Moor on Saturday to make it back-to-back defeats and no win in three.
Premier League relegation remains a fear for Leeds, albeit eight points from eight games is not a terrible return.
The loss in Lancashire led to one Leeds staff member smashing a desk in fury, but that setback has to be put to one side ahead of Friday’s visit of West Ham to Elland Road.
Stuart Attwell named referee for Leeds vs West Ham
Farke will know that three points are there for the taking under the lights against West Ham on Friday night.
Ahead of the match, the Premier League announced via its website on Monday that Stuart Attwell will be the referee.
Attwell has made some questionable decisions involving Leeds – and indeed Farke – already this year.
In February, Attwell yellow carded Farke for entering the field to celebrate a late winner for Leeds against Sunderland.
Neil Warnock hit out at Attwell’s decision at the time, and questioned why the 43-year-old – a Premier League referee by trade – was officiating a Championship match.
“I just think, what I don’t miss in football when you look at the referee at the end of the game,” Warnock said.
“I mean, [Farke] celebrates and he runs onto the pitch with his team. What harm is he doing there? It’ll be a busy fourth official who’s called Attwell over and said, ‘Get him in the book.’ They’ll absolutely love it.
“What’s he doing refereeing the game, Attwell? Why don’t they have a Championship referee and give them experience of a top game like this. I don’t understand that at all.”
Keith Hackett also questioned a decision in Leeds’ win against Sunderland in an exclusive chat with MOT Leeds News at the time.
What is Leeds United’s record with Attwell in charge?
Attwell has refereed Leeds 22 times – only 12 teams has he taken charge of on more occasions.
Leeds have won 11 of those matches, lost eight and drawn three. That 2-1 win for Leeds over Sunderland in February was the most recent of those games.
| Fixture | Division | Score | Date |
| Leeds vs Sunderland | Championship | 2-1 W | February 2015 |
| Leeds vs Man City | Premier League | 1-3 L | December 2022 |
| Leeds vs Aston Villa | Premier League | 0-0 D | October 2022 |
| Leeds vs Chelsea | Premier League | 3-0 W | August 2022 |
Prior to that, Attwell oversaw Leeds’ 3-1 home loss to Manchester City at Elland Road in December 2022.
That was Leeds’ only loss with Attwell in the middle on the past five such occasions, Leeds winning four of those.
On the basis of that most recent match, though, Farke will be fully aware he cannot overstep the mark if he wants to avoid any sort of punishment.
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