Daniel Farke has regularly praised his Leeds United medical team this season.
The ‘Champions League level’ work of Leeds United’s medical staff has come to the fore amid recent comments from a former Premier League manager on Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
So far this season, that risk has paid off. Calvert-Lewin missed last week’s 2-2 draw at Chelsea through illness but had featured in every Premier League game between that stalemate and Newcastle at home in August, scoring an impressive 10 goals. He is yet to miss a game through injury and according to Tim Sherwood, looks to have overcome his biggest issue.
“He’s done well, hasn’t he? The biggest problem he’s had is keeping himself fit,” Sherwood told Sky Sports. “He seems to have done that, and he is banging the goals in for a Leeds team that is average, with respect.”
Calvert-Lewin has spoken this season of feeling fitter than he’s felt in a long time and while fellow striker Nmecha has missed some games through injury, his availability has generally been decent. Fitness issues have arisen elsewhere but Daniel Farke has rarely gone into a fixture short in any area of the squad.
That is even more impressive given the squad’s physical output, with Leeds having to out-run their opponents instead of out-footballing them like in the Championship. Farke has regularly highlighted the work of his medical staff who he believes are already among Europe’s elite in their field.
Daniel Farke on ‘Champions League level’ Leeds United medical staff
“We, as a newly-promoted side, always have to go over the line in terms of physical output,” Farke said in January. “When you look at the physical data, we are in the top two for distance covered, number of sprints and high sprint distance.
“This proves we have a really good fitness level. Lots of credit to Henry [McStay, head of medicine] and his department, they’re doing a fantastic job and working 24/7. In the mid-to-long-term we’ll have other goals apart from staying in this league.
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“In this department, we are already on Champions League level. I’m pretty pleased with our medical staff, our physios, our nutritionist and our gym staff. They are really top class.”
Calvert-Lewin returned from his brief illness to come off the bench at Birmingham City on Sunday. The former Everton man looked as physical as ever and tucked home his spot-kick as Leeds won 4-2 on penalties, following a 1-1 draw.
Leeds now have a full week to rest and recover ahead of their Premier League return at Aston Villa on Saturday. The Whites currently have just one midweek fixture to contend with - at home to Sunderland next month - although another is likely to emerge given their FA Cup progression.
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