Karl Darlow usurped Lucas Perri as Leeds United's number one in January, and he has impressed as Daniel Farke's battle to edge away from the Premier League's relegation zone
Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter
12:01, 17 Apr 2026
Karl Darlow has conceded just one goal in his past three games
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Karl Darlow has conceded just one goal in his past three games(Image: Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
Karl Darlow says there is a high level of respect between Leeds United’s goalkeepers but that the nature of the role means Lucas Perri knows he has to be patient for his next Premier League opportunity, just as he was.
Darlow usurped Perri as the number one pick back in January and has proven Daniel Farke right in making the decision.
He has put in some excellent performances including in Monday night’s 2-1 win over Manchester United, during which he made a number of crucial stops.
For a second season running, Darlow has climbed up to be primary pick having started the season as second-choice - being called in to see Leeds over the Championship title line amid Illan Meslier’s errors last year too.
While the Frenchman is now failing to get into the matchday squad, Perri has been making himself an FA Cup hero with some important in-game and penalty shoot-out saves in the club’s run to a first semi-final at Wembley for 39 years.
With six Premier League matches left to go amid Darlow’s form, though, it seems unlikely summer signing Perri gets back in ahead of the Welshman, who says he is making the most of the longest sustained period of game time (11 games) for two years.
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“I’m just really enjoying my football at the minute,” Darlow told BBC Radio Leeds.
“Being away with Wales as well, I feel like I’m in a good rhythm of playing, which I've not had for a while. I’m just enjoying it at the moment and just taking it game by game.”
On his relationship with his fellow goalkeepers, Darlow added: “It’s brilliant. We come out every day to push each other as hard as we can.
"At the end of the day, the manager makes a decision on who plays and who doesn’t.
“There’s a lot of respect mutually between us all. On the training pitch as goalkeepers, you know there is one position.
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"I’ve been patient at times but also it happens the other way, that he’s [Perri] got to be patient at the same time.”
He continued: “Coming back into the team was always my goal when I was left out early in the season and it's something that I’ve stuck at and something I want to maintain throughout until the end.”
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