Ahead of this afternoon’s clash against Nottingham Forest, Leeds United sit in 16th place in the Premier League table after 10 games and Ethan Ampadu has delivered his verdict on the season so far.
Pressure is mounting on Daniel Farke. Three defeats in four and four defeats in five away games in the Premier League, ahead of a very tough run of fixtures, have Leeds fans fearing a slip down the table.
Reports say Farke has five games to save his Leeds tenure. Starting with today’s trip to Sean Dyche’s Nottingham Forest before games against Aston Villa, Man City, Chelsea and Liverpool after the break.
Not an easy run of games to save your job. But Farke is up for the challenge and captain Ethan Ampadu has said that the league position, currently, does not matter. He was asked if he’d take 16th next May.
Georginio Rutter battles Ethan Ampadu.
Photo by Harry Murphy/Getty Images
Leeds skipper Ethan Ampadu in ‘weird’ response to Adam Pope
The aim this season is simply to survive in the Premier League, which would allow the club to improve their PSR position and given more freedom to spend next summer. Relegation, financially, is dismal.
Speaking to Adam Pope on BBC Radio Leeds, Ampadu was asked if he is happy with the club’s position in the Premier League table and if the Leeds skipper would take 16th place at the end of the current season.
“It’s weird to say, it doesn’t matter at this stage. If you ask me at the end of the season, I’d say yes. Now, we need to try and pick up as many points as we can. Put in the performances that we know we can.
“Learn lessons from difficult games. Make sure we get ourselves into a good place, a good rhythm. Points obviously matter at this point, but it’s much more important after 38 games,” Ampadu told Pope.
Date Opposition Venue Prediction
9 November, 2025 Nottingham Forest City Ground 1-1 Draw
23 November, 2025 Aston Villa Elland Road 1-1 Draw
29 November, 2025 Manchester City Elland Road 3-0 Loss
3 December, 2025 Chelsea Stamford Bridge 2-1 Loss
6 December, 2025 Liverpool Elland Road 2-1 Loss
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Leeds would be delighted with 16th place come the new year
The run that Leeds face after the international break is among the toughest in the league. An in-form Aston Villa, Man City, second-placed Chelsea, Liverpool twice in four weeks, Sunderland and Palace.
It means Sunday’s trip to Forest is a game Farke and Leeds cannot afford to lose. A win takes Farke’s men to 14 points from 11 games and possibly as high as 13th. But they need that buffer come after the break.
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke
Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images
Ampadu might say the table doesn’t matter, but for the Leeds board, for Farke’s tenure and for fans, it certainly will. At least fans can agree with Ampadu, that Leeds would happily take 16th place next May.
Leeds could be without Dominic Calvert-Lewin later today, but Nottingham Forest have a much deeper injury crisis with Chris Wood and Callum Hudson-Odoi fighting to be fit to take on Leeds at Forest.