This is the Leeds star that’s going to get Daniel Farke sacked – and it’s not Brenden Aaronson
Lucas Perri has been woeful since signing for Leeds United in the summer, but Daniel Farke is lacking in alternative options.
Leeds signed Perri from Lyon in a deal worth around £15.6million in the summer, with the Brazilian brought in as the number one goalkeeper.
The Whites had suffered from issues between the sticks last season, with Illan Meslier making a number of high-profile clangers.
Meslier now looks set to leave Leeds, with Farke set to leave himself with the options of Perri and Karl Darlow.
Darlow has been praised for his performances this season, after the goalkeeper stepped in to cover for Perri’s injury.
The woeful stats behind Lucas Perri’s Leeds United start
Perri conceded twice as Leeds lost to Aston Villa on Sunday, with the second goal drawing eyes for the goalkeeper’s seeming lack of movement.
As Morgan Rogers took the free-kick, the Brazilian was rooted to the spot, with the ball looping into the middle of the goal and just beside him.
Joe Hart defended Perri for the Rogers goal, however, explaining that the technique the midfielder used would have made it very difficult for the goalkeeper.
Still, it was not an attractive moment for a player who is evidently lacking in confidence for Leeds.
According to fbref, only seven goalkeepers to have made an appearance in the Premier League this season have a worse post-shot expected goals minus goals allowed (PSxG) figure than Perri.
PSxG measures how many goals an average goalkeeper would concede based on the shots they have faced, with the Leeds goalkeeper conceding 14 goals against his 12.4 PSxG faced.
Unfortunately for the Whites, one of the names who sits behind Perri on that list is that of Darlow.
And it gets worse for Farke, with Perri’s 50 per cent save percentage bettered by 19 other Premier League goalkeepers this season.
- Read more: Daniel Farke sack finally on the cards as horrific Leeds reveal emerges after loss vs Aston Villa
Leeds suffering at both ends of the pitch
On a statistical level, Leeds have not been as bad as the table may suggest this season. The Whites have scored 11 goals from a 14.9 expected goals (xG) – a number only bettered by 11 Premier League teams.
And the disparity is even greater going the other way. Six teams have conceded more than Leeds’ 16.4 expected goals against (xGA), yet Farke’s team have conceded 22.
| Leeds United | Premier League 2025-26 | League rank |
| Goals per match | 0.9 | 19th |
| Big chances missed | 19 | 7th |
| Goals conceded per match | 1.8 | 17th |
| Saves per match | 2.3 | 16th |
| Touches in opposition box | 260 | 17th |
It is difficult to say the Whites have been unlucky, however, because much of the issue stems from decisions made by the West Yorkshire club themselves.
Perri and Dominic Calvert-Lewin both arrived in the summer, with the latter opted for against better options due to his fee, or lack thereof.
Still, Farke persists with players who are not doing the job for Leeds, and sooner or later, it is going to cost him his job.
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