Good Morning. It's Tuesday 25th November, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...
Points between now and New Year
Leeds United face a daunting task in their final six fixtures of the 2025 season, with survival in the Premier League hanging in the balance. A run of three consecutive defeats has already plunged them into the relegation zone for the first time this campaign, and the immediate schedule offers little respite. A trip to title-chasing Manchester City, followed by home games against Chelsea and Liverpool could realistically see Leeds losing streak stretch to six games, leaving them in a perilous position heading into the closing weeks.
The pressure will then shift to a challenging visit to Brentford, where even a point would be hard-earned, before high-flying Crystal Palace visit Elland Road five days before Christmas. With the Africa Cup of Nations starting 24 hours later, Oliver Glasner's side will be without the services of Christantus Uche (Nigeria), Chadi Riad (Morocco), Cheick Doucouré (Mali) and the ever-dangerous Ismaila Sarr (Senegal), which could give the Whites a chance of picking up points.
Similarly, 72 hours before New Years kicks in, Leeds are away at the Stadium of Light, facing up against an impressive Sunderland side that have already picked up 19 points from their opening twelve games. Out of all top flight teams, the AFCON tournament with hurt Regis Le Bris' side the most, as seven of the first team including DR Congo duo Noah Sadiki and Arthur Masuaku, Burkina Faso’s Bertrand Traoré and Ivory Coast's Simon Adingra will miss as many as six games.
While Farke's side showed good battling qualities against Aston Villa, once again defensive lapses proved costly; a habit they must quickly rectify if they are to survive. These next six games present a mountain to climb for the Leeds players. The question is how many points can they pick up between now, and their trip to Anfield on New Years day?
Potential fall out between Tanaka and Farke hits social media
Rumours of a potential bust up between Ao Tanaka and Daniel Farke are being suggested on social media after Sunday’s defeat to Aston Villa. Initially named among the substitutes, Tanaka was called into action early following Anton Stach’s injury, only to be withdrawn in the second half. Farke later explained his decision by claiming the fourth official had warned him that the referee was “looking to send Tanaka off” for a potential second yellow card, suggesting he had wanted to send Tanaka off, but an earlier advantage prevented that.
The explanation has left many fans scratching their heads. Under the laws of the game, a referee can still return to caution or dismiss a player after playing advantage, if Tanaka had commited a bookable offence, suely he would have received a second yellow?
It casts doubts over the tactical necessity of hauling the Japanese international off. For Tanaka, the episode may raise deeper questions about trust and confidence in his manager, particularly if he feels his removal was based on a misunderstanding of the rules or an overreaction. As speculation swirls, this incident could linger in the background, potentially impacting the relationship between player and coach in the weeks ahead.
