Daniel Farke can’t afford Ao Tanaka mistake in Leeds United vs Man City – why he must start
Leeds United face Manchester City in the Premier League on Saturday to maintain their recent unbeaten run.
Elland Road will host Pep Guardiola’s team on 28 February, with the reverse fixture marking a turning point for the Whites despite the heartbreaking 3-2 defeat.
Daniel Farke has managed one win and two draws in the West Yorkshire outfit’s last three league matches.
Ao Tanaka saw his team put up an impressive display against Aston Villa at Villa Park, but the Peacocks conceded a late equaliser, sharing the spoils with the hosts, and the Japan international will now surely feel the next game is perfectly set up for him.
Ao Tanaka key to Leeds United win vs Man City
Tanaka has spent the last four Premier League games sitting on the bench, but Farke may opt to start him against Man City.
The German manager knows the Cityzens will try to dominate possession and build from the back, something the Whites will need to counter.
In the current campaign, the Japan international has made 20 league appearances for the West Yorkshire outfit, winning possession 0.3 times in the final third, as per Sofascore.
Farke has often been seen deploying the 27-year-old a bit further up the pitch to initiate the press when the opposition have the ball, with the midfielder making 0.6 interceptions, and winning 0.9 tackles and recovering the ball 2.3 times per game.
Tanaka is also an attacking threat, scoring two goals this season, averaging 0.2 shots on target per game and creating one big chance.
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Ilia Gruev has made Daniel Farke decision easy at Elland Road
Ilia Gruev has been Farke’s go-to player at Leeds since the start of the year, with the Bulgaria international heavily involved in the starting lineup.
The midfielder’s performance in the 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest was arguably one of his best displays for the Whites.
At Villa Park, it was a different story for the 25-year-old, as he struggled, losing possession seven times, recording a total progression of -0.6 meters, winning just one of his three tackles, losing nine of his 12 duels, committing three fouls and being dribbled past twice, with the Sofascore graphic above showcasing a glimpse of it.
Gruev’s poor performance against Villa surely makes Farke’s decision to possibly replace him with Tanaka easier for Man City’s trip to Elland Road.
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