An examination of the coverage given by the national media to Leeds United’s 2-0 Championship victory over Millwall, which propelled Daniel Farke’s team to the top of the league for the first time this year
Leeds defeated Millwall 2-0 at home to take the top spot in the Championship and pass Leicester City in the standings. The Whites won their 12th game out of 13 this year thanks to goals from Wilfried Gnonto and substitute Dan James either side of halftime.
Here is a look at how the Whites’ most recent victory was reported by the national media.
Daily Mail – Ross Heppenstall
For Leeds, experiencing the rarefied air at the Championship’s pinnacle for the first time this season won’t be sufficient.
They demand more, and for manager Daniel Farke and his team—as well as an enthusiastic audience—that means winning the title and returning to the Premier League right away.
Although it will require effort, this most recent achievement raised expectations that automatic promotion is not far off.
Leeds needed 38 games to climb to the top, but they eventually overcame Leicester with this easy victory over a tenacious Millwall team.
In late December, the Foxes lead Leeds by 17 points; however, they have since faltered, winning just one of their previous five games. Though it took one extra game, Farke’s team has now levelled the score.
Leeds have gone 13 games without a loss in the league since the beginning of the year, despite Enzo Maresca‘s team’s shortcomings.
They have won 12 games and given up just three goals throughout this winning streak. Farke’s lads are showing quite a charge.
Never undervalue the work Farke has done to turn Leeds into a competitive Championship team and to steadie the ship at Elland Road.
Under Farke’s leadership, Norwich won two titles and advanced from this tier. He has cultivated a strong sense of camaraderie among his gifted young team members and is aware of what it takes to get away.
The Guardian – Louise Taylor
Daniel Farke leaped onto the pitch and made a point of embracing each Leeds player as the energetic, high-volume strains of Status Quo’s Rocking All Over the World heralded the end of play.
The German team has risen to the top of the Championship for the first time this season after 12 victories and a tie in their last 13 league games. They are now ahead of Leicester, the previous runaway leaders, on goal differential.
With eight games left, Leeds might have found themselves in the lead at the ideal time, but Ipswich and Southampton are still very much in the running for the two automatic promotion spots.
The fact that Leicester lost the 17-point lead they had over him at the start of the season highlights the fact that Farke is clearly creating something truly unique at Elland Road. Despite Leicester‘s current game, Leeds, surprisingly, have the greatest defensive record in the second division.
“I’m really proud of the boys; they have such unity in the dressing room,” Farke remarked following his team’s victory over Millwall‘s petty, spoiling tactics, as they resisted being drawn into a string of pointless arguments.
“We shall ask ourselves why one day if we fail to savour this moment. However, we also need to make sure that we stick with it and finish in the same place.
Leeds defeated Millwall 2-0 to take the top spot in the Championship for the first time this year thanks to goals from Wilfried Gnonto and Dan James.
Leeds has now won 12 of its previous 13 Championship games and has extended their unbeaten league run at Elland Road to 19 games. This has allowed them to reverse a 17-point disadvantage against second-place Leicester that had existed since New Year’s Day.
The hosts led the Foxes at halftime thanks to a fantastic first goal from Gnonto. With 11 minutes remaining, substitute James added the crucial second goal, putting them ahead of the Foxes on goal differential.
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