Leeds United boss Daniel Farke will be minus a key player for their looming clash against Sunderland on Tuesday.
Leeds did everything right on Saturday night except put the ball in the back of the net — and in the Premier League, that tends to cost you.
Elland Road was rocking under the lights as Farke’s side took on title-chasing Man City, and for long stretches of the first half, Leeds were the better team.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin had City rattled early on, twice going close inside the opening ten minutes, once shooting inches wide from a brilliant Brenden Aaronson cross and again firing narrowly past the post after holding off Marc Guehi on the run.
Aaronson himself got in on the act too, firing just wide from a Jayden Bogle cross as Leeds pressed high and won the ball back in dangerous areas time and again.
City, without the injured Erling Haaland, looked rattled and short of ideas going forward. Karl Darlow was making saves when he needed to, earning praise for his efforts from ex-Leeds hero Stuart Dallas, and Elland Road genuinely felt like it was on the verge of something special.
Then, right on the stroke of half-time, it all unravelled.
Rayan Ait-Nouri burst forward down the left and cut the ball back across the box, and Antoine Semenyo — who has been in outstanding form since his January arrival from Bournemouth — tucked it away to make it 1-0. One moment of quality, and all that first-half dominance counted for nothing.
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Daniel Farke’s side could mean business.
Leeds pushed hard in the second period but never really threatened to find a way through a disciplined City backline. Substitute Jaka Bijol came agonisingly close from a late corner, his header drifting just past the far post with Gianluigi Donnarumma beaten — but it wasn’t to be.
The game ended 1-0, a scoreline that was arguably harsh on Leeds but entirely in keeping with how fine margins work at this level.
To cap it off, Farke was shown a red card after the final whistle for letting the officials know exactly what he thought of how the game was managed. He’ll be in the stands on Tuesday.
Which brings us to Sunderland at Elland Road — and a chance for Leeds to put Saturday behind them quickly.
The Black Cats have been one of the stories of the season since winning promotion, and they won’t be coming to West Yorkshire for a day out, but Leeds will fancy their chances in front of their own supporters with survival still the priority.
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Farke confirmed in his pre-match press conference that the squad is largely fit and available.
Joe Rodon had a scare with his hamstring and was scanned, but the Wales international is expected to come through and be ready for Tuesday.
James Justin took a nasty one to the leg during the City game — bad enough that he needed stitching afterwards — but the defender is made of tough stuff and the manager is hopeful he’ll be fit to feature.
The one player who won’t be available is Noah Okafor.
The Swiss forward remains sidelined after he also missed City, and Farke confirmed he is the only absentee expected to miss the Sunderland clash.
“As it stands, I expect just Noah Okafor to be out for this game and all the others will be available,” Farke said.
With everyone else fit and raring to go bar the ‘electric’ attacker, Leeds head into Tuesday’s game in reasonable shape despite the disappointment of the weekend.
For a side that has lost just three times in 15 league games, one narrow defeat to a genuine title contender is no reason to panic.
Sunderland at home is exactly the kind of game Leeds need to be winning if they’re going to keep the six-point cushion above the drop zone intact.
Farke will be watching from the stands. His players will need to make sure he doesn’t have much to worry about.
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He didn’t hold back.
