A team in form - how Farke has turned Leeds around — SkimNews
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- Daniel Farke switched from a back four to a back three at half-time against Manchester City on 29 November, and since then Leeds have lost only five of their 29 league games — a run that would place them fifth in a hypothetical table for that span.
- Leeds United signed 10 permanent players in the 2025 summer window, eight of whom stand over 6ft tall, with Farke citing the need for 'special physicality' to meet Premier League demands.
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin has scored 14 top-flight goals since the formation change — more than anyone except Erling Haaland, Ollie Watkins and Joao Pedro — and is chasing six consecutive home league goals, a feat not achieved by a Leeds player since Arthur Hydes in 1932.
- James Trafford became the most expensive British goalkeeper in history for the second time after joining from Manchester City for an initial £40m, playing every league minute behind a defence bolstered by World Cup signings Tarik Muharemovic and Nico Elvedi.
- Calvert-Lewin missed out on England's World Cup squad but, with three goals already this season, is in line for a recall when Thomas Tuchel names his Nations League squad on Friday.
- Elland Road had gone 25 evening league and play-off kick-offs unbeaten before back-to-back February losses, and Monday's Newcastle win revived the 'Daniel Farke Penitentiary' meme among fans as Newcastle's Matthias Jaissle became the latest 'sentenced' manager.
Why it matters: Farke's rejig has reduced Leeds to one of the division's stingier defences among ever-present clubs — only Arsenal, Manchester City and Nottingham Forest have conceded fewer since the switch. With eight points from four games and Calvert-Lewin leading the line, Leeds have a realistic shot at European football for the first time in 24 years if this form holds.
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