Leeds United manager Daniel Farke will feel more relaxed this week after his side beat West Ham 2-1 at Elland Road on Friday evening. His team produced a gritty performance to stop the rot following back-to-back league defeats, which threatened to sour the mood around the club.
Brenden Aaronson and Joe Rodon’s first-half goals were enough to win Leeds all three points on Friday. West Ham scored late to ensure a close finish, but the home side were the better team during the game.
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The win relieved some of the pressure that was building on Farke and the team following two defeats in a row in the Premier League, and the team will be working under a far more relaxed environment ahead of visiting Brighton next weekend.
They have 11 points from their opening nine Premier League games, and have not played like a team that could go down this season, given how bad the likes of Wolves, West Ham and Forest have looked at the start of the campaign.
Chris Sutton drops his Leeds United relegation verdict
Leeds sit 15th in the Premier League table after nine games, with a six-point cushion over teams in the relegation zone after playing a game more.
Former Premier League winner Chris Sutton has insisted that Leeds have made a decent start to life back in the top flight and are looking like a solid side.
He is impressed with the fighting spirit and the quality they showed against West Ham to end a run of poor form and get their first home win since the opening weekend of the season.
The ex-striker believes Leeds have more than a good chance of ensuring that they remain a Premier League team next season.
“All things being equal, I think Leeds have had a pretty good start to the season”, Sutton said on the BBC’s 606 on Saturday evening.
“In the mix, in their fighting, a good display last [Friday] night. They have a good chance of staying up.”
Daniel Farke is keeping pace with Marcelo Bielsa’s 2020/21 Leeds team
Marcelo Bielsa ended Leeds’ long wait to return to the Premier League in 2020, and then his team were the surprise package of the top flight in the 2020/21 season.
They were hugely impressive and finished in the top half of the table, beating some very good teams in their first season back in the Premier League.
Farke’s team have not looked as good in attack compared to that team. However, his side are currently keeping pace with Bielsa’s Leeds heroes.
That Leeds side had 11 points from their opening nine Premier League games, similar to what Farke’s team have at this stage of the season.
This Leeds team have exceeded most pundits’ pre-season expectations and proven more than capable of competing with established Premier League sides.
While no one is predicting Farke’s Leeds to finish in the top half, they have definitely been better than what they are being given credit for, and are keeping up with Bielsa’s side from that glorious 2020/21 season.
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