Good Morning. It's Friday 20th March, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...
Okafor primed to start against Brentford
Leeds fans can breathe a sigh of relief after Daniel Farke confirmed that striker Noah Okafor has been back in full‑training sessions since the start of the week, so we can reasonably assume the 25yo forward is in contention to start on Saturday evening against Brentford. After a month on the side-lines, Okafor’s return injects much‑needed depth to a Leeds side that has been scrambling for options on the left. According to the gaffer “He is back in team training since the beginning of the week… So, everyone’s available, no one’s out. Of course, he was out for several weeks, so the question, more or less, is how many minutes has he got in the tank,”
The timing could not be more crucial. Brentford, still nursing the sting of a 2‑2 draw with Wolves, are desperate to snap their wobble and keep their European hopes alive. A win at Elland Road would not only revive their momentum but also pile the pressure on a Leeds team winless in five games. With Gabriel Gudmundsson suspended following his sending off at Selhurst Park last weekend, Okafor's inclusion would add some much needed balance down the left flank.
Earlier this week, Switzerland national team boss Murat Yakin revealed that Noah Okafor would have made the Swiss squad for their upcoming Euro friendlies for the first time since 2024. This suggests either a lack of communication between Yakin and Leeds Utd, or Okafor isn't yet fully fit? He has only been out of action since 15th February, when he picked up the hip injury against Birmingham City in the fourth round of the FA Cup, so you'd expect after a full week of training, he'd be 100% surely?
Clean bill of health but how much is down to medical team
Daniel Farke was all smiles at yesterday’s presser, giving a massive shout-out to the Thorp Arch medical team for keeping the treatment room empty heading into the season finale. He’s crediting everything from nutrition to sleep schedules, which sounds great on paper, but let’s be honest: luck has played a much bigger part than the club is letting on.
While the medical staff clearly deserve credit, the idea that you can simply "science" your way out of injuries in a high-contact sport feels like a bit of a reach. The reality is that Leeds have been incredibly fortunate, especially considering how much time the likes of Struijk, DCL, Nmecha and Bornauw have spent on treatment tables in recent years. Pushing the narrative that this is all down to internal management feels like a convenient way to ignore the massive gamble the club have taken!
That gamble is looking more dangerous by the day. Leeds rolled into 2026 with a wafer-thin roster and practically ignored the January window, bar the token arrival of Facundo Buonanotte. Meanwhile, their relegation rivals aren't just sitting around. Nottingham Forest, West Ham and Spurs all made multiple signings in January which has seen both the Hammers and the tricky trees claw their way to within striking distance of the Whites.
Even Igor Tudor’s Spurs have found a second wind, managing an impressive draw at Anfield last weekend, followed by a win over Atletico Madrid. While everyone else made moves to survive, Leeds stayed still, and now they sit just three points adrift of safety with worrying form. The physical toll of that thin squad is finally starting to show. The shift the players put in at Selhurst Park to grab a point was heroic, but it left them looking absolutely spent.
With a massive game against Brentford looming, the margin for error has disappeared. If results go against them this weekend, Leeds could find themselves staring down the barrel of the drop zone, clinging on by their fingernails. If the worst were to happen, big questions will have to be asked why recruitments were not bought in, but by that time it will be too late.
