Leeds United face Chelsea at Wembley on Sunday
James Smailes Head of All Out Rugby League and Yorkshire sport at Reach plc
09:00, 22 Apr 2026
Daniel Farke gestures
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Daniel Farke has an exciting summer ahead(Image: Offside via Getty Images)
For many Leeds United are already out of the conversation when it comes to the relegation battle at the bottom of the Premier League. Eight points clear of a Tottenham Hotspur side who have only picked up four points from their last 13 league games, the chances of Spurs catching Leeds are slim, even with a new manager at the helm.
Even if Spurs have a Lazarus-style comeback, West Ham have six points and a vastly inferior goal difference to overcome on the Whites, while Nottingham Forest are still three points behind, too. Nothing is mathematically achieved and won't be for at least a week, but many feel the job is already done. Daniel Farke is not one of those!
The Leeds boss may have set a points target of 38 at the start of the season and see his team go past that, but he's still not convinced enough points are on the board. It's that belief, or fear, that is driving the approach to this evening's match at Bournemouth.
Leeds may have an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley ahead of them, but Farke knows the importance of Premier League football and with Leeds not yet guaranteed safety, he's taking no risks and insist nobody at the club will be thinking about playing Chelsea until Thursday morning when they reconvene at their Thorp Arch training ground.
"It is one battle after another and we will just focus on this game," explained Farke, when asked about the threat of the FA Cup diverting attention.
"We know we need to stay with our foot on the gas and it won't be until early Thursday morning when we are back at Thorp Arch, for now it is just one topic. It is important to stay focussed and concentrate. A lot is achieved but nothing is done yet.
"What my group has done so far, I don't want to compare to other teams, but I am happy, I am very pleased with it.
"We have to continue for five games on Premier League level and hopefully two more games in the FA Cup and then we will have a chance to look back in the summer break on a remarkable season."
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