#daniel farke

Leeds United: Darlow, Bogle, Ampadu, Struijk, Rodon, Calvert-Lewin (Gnonto 69), Aaronson (Bornauw 90), Nmecha, Bijol (James 69), Tanaka (Piroe 78), Justin.

Subs not used: Perri, Byram, Chadwick, Cresswell. It was slightly disappointing to see Leeds United lose our final game of the season, but it didn't really matter, because we're staying up and West Ham are going down….

Leeds started with an injury-hit but reasonably strong line up, and we looked fairly comfortable in a competitive first half.

After the break we got a bit complacent, and as Daniel Farke brought on more and more subs, it did start to look like the Leeds United B Team. We lost our shape, stopped trying and gave away some sloppy goals.

Nevertheless, Leeds finished the season in 14th place on 47 points, which is a decent return for a newly promoted side.

I sincerely hope that West Ham fans like the dickhead below will enjoy watching some of their best players leave during the summer, and have lots of fun following the Hammers in the Championship next season....

Leeds United: Darlow, Ampadu, Rodon, James (Gnonto 60), Calvert-Lewin, Aaronson (Nmecha 60), Bijol, Stach (Piroe 75), Tanaka (Longstaff 60), Bornauw (Byram 90), Justin.

Subs not used: Perri, Chadwick, Cresswell, Lienou. This was Leeds United's final home game of the season, and as redevelopment work on the West Stand will be getting underway over the next few days, it was also the last game at Elland Road in its current state.

Up until today, Leeds had never beaten Brighton in the Premier League era, so it was great to do so with an audacious winner deep into stoppage time.

It was a poor game and our below-strength team never really got going.

Brighton had quite a few chances, but an inspired performance from Karl Darlow and some bad finishing meant that the score was still 0-0 as we entered the nine added minutes at the end of the game.

In the 96th minute, a clearance from Sam Byram went straight to a Brighton defender, who played a weak back pass to his keeper which was intercepted by Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who scored from a tight angle.

Leeds United: Darlow, Ampadu, Struijk (Bornauw 56), Rodon, James (Gnonto 63), Calvert-Lewin, Aaronson (Nmecha 63), Bijol, Stach, Tanaka (Longstaff 90), Justin.

Subs not used: Perri, Piroe, Byram, Chadwick, Lienou. This was the last fixture of the gameweek and results over the weekend had seen Leeds United slip to 16th place in the league prior to kick off.

However, West Ham's defeat to Arsenal meant it was mathematically impossible for them to finish above Leeds, so we came into this game knowing that we will definitely be playing in the Premier League again next season.

The battle to avoid finishing in the final relegation spot is now between Spurs and West Ham (our final opponents of the season)....

At the start of the campaign, I had serious doubts about Daniel Farke and Leeds United’s summer recruitment, but I’m more than happy to admit I was wrong. Farke has delivered Premier League survival and deserves to keep his place. Most of the new signings have exceeded expectations and played a huge role in keeping us up. And with a few more quality additions this summer, we can look forward to the possibility of mid-table mediocrity next season.

There are still key areas that need strengthening, and this match highlighted that clearly.

With both our first choice wing-backs unavailable, right-footer James Justin started on the left again, while Dan James was handed a rare start at right wing-back. Noah Okafor was also missing, and these absences meant that Leeds lacked much of our normal attacking threat. Pascal Struijk (our only left-footed centre back) started the game despite carrying a hip injury and had to go off early in the second half.

Spurs were marginally the better side in a scrappy first period in which chances were few and far between. The hosts eventually took the lead after the break when Mathys Tel curled a strike from the edge of the box into the top corner. Soon after, Struijk’s injury led to an enforced reshuffle with Sebastiaan Bornauw entering the backline.

Leeds gradually grew into the game and were awarded a penalty (following a lengthy VAR review) after Ethan Ampadu was kicked in the head by Tel while contesting a looping ball. Dominic Calvert-Lewin made no mistake from the spot, smashing the penalty past Antonin Kinsky to level the game.

Leeds almost snatched all three points moments later when Lukas Nmecha latched onto a flick from Calvert-Lewin, only to see his effort blocked. Then, deep into stoppage time, Sean Longstaff nearly won it in dramatic fashion with a strike that crashed against the underside of the bar.

Leeds United: Darlow, Bogle (James 90), Ampadu, Struijk, Rodon, Calvert-Lewin (Gnonto 90), Bijol, Stach (Aaronson 72), Okafor (Nmecha 65), Tanaka (Longstaff 72), Justin.

Subs not used: Perri, Piroe, Bornauw, Byram. Leeds United bounced back from a disappointing display at Wembley with an emphatic 3–1 victory over Burnley, which edged us closer to Premier League safety.

This was a crucial result, because while Leeds were losing to Chelsea in the FA cup semi final, the three teams immediately below us all won, cutting the cushion above the bottom three to just six points.

Meanwhile, Burnley arrived already relegated and in disarray, having dismissed manager Scott Parker, leaving a guy called Michael Jackson in temporary charge.

From a Leeds perspective the game was definitely a thriller, but for Burnley it just underlined how bad their season has been (and the Elland Road PA serenaded them with "Smooth Criminal" after the final whistle)….

Burnley won the toss and did that annoying thing of making Leeds play towards the Kop in the first half, but it didn't work out well for them. We played with urgency from the outset and almost scored inside the opening minute when Dominic Calvert-Lewin went close.

Our early pressure soon paid off in spectacular fashion. Around the eighth minute, Anton Stach collected the ball well outside the area, turned sharply and unleashed a stunning low drive that arrowed into the corner of the net. There was a split second of silence before the crowd realised what had happened and the celebrations began….

Leeds dominated the remainder of the first half, pressing aggressively and controlling possession. Chances came and went - we just needed a second goal to put the game to bed.

Fortunately it arrived soon after the restart, and in some style. Calvert-Lewin won the ball in the Leeds half and surged down the flank, drawing defenders towards him before producing an audacious backheel into the path of Jayden Bogle. His delicate chipped pass found Noah Okafor at the far post, who finished clinically.

Five minutes later, the points appeared to be secure when a long range effort from Ao Tanaka was parried by Martin Dúbravka straight to Calvert-Lewin, who reacted quickest to poke home our third.

The Leeds players seemed to take their foot off the pedal after that and Burnley thought they had pulled a goal back with 25 minutes to go, only for an offside flag to intervene. They did eventually score when Pascal Struijk missed a challenge, allowing Wilson Tchaouna to fire in from close range.

This led to a slightly nervy final 20 minutes, but Leeds were not seriously threatened.

Leeds United: Perri, Bogle, Gudmundsson, Ampadu, Struijk, Calvert-Lewin, Aaronson (Longstaff 86), Bijol (Stach 46), Okafor (Gnonto 74), Tanaka (Nmecha 74), Justin (Rodon 46).

Subs not used: Darlow, James, Piroe, Bornauw. Leeds United's FA Cup journey came to an end after a narrow defeat at the hands of Chelsea in the semi final.

It was a frustrating, flat affair that ultimately slipped away from Leeds in familiar fashion, as once again we failed to score at Wembley….

Our travelling support turned the stadium into a sea of blue, yellow and white, and within a minute there was real belief as Ao Tanaka teed up Noah Okafor, who charged towards goal with Dominic Calvert-Lewin alongside him, but he was cynically chopped down, and the resulting free kick came to nothing.

That moment proved to be a false dawn.

For the rest of the first half Leeds retreated into a passive, safety-first approach. Chelsea took control, creating the better chances, though Leeds did briefly threaten again when Calvert-Lewin set up Brenden Aaronson, who forced a fine save from Robert Sánchez.

The decisive moment came from a mistake: Pascal Struijk - so good for most of the season - gave the ball away needlessly and seconds later Enzo Fernández’s close-range header made it 1-0.

Leeds showed more intent after the break, with changes bringing renewed energy and Anton Stach going close from distance. But Chelsea dropped deep, disrupted play with niggling fouls, time wasting and gamesmanship, which included a "phantom injury" to Sánchez (allowing the Chelsea players to go the touchline for a team talk) - all aimed at breaking up our rhythm, our momentum and any flow of the game.

Daniel Farke made a last roll of the dice, sending on Willy Gnonto, Lukas Nmencha and Sean Longstaff, but the game continued to slip from our grasp.

Leeds United: Darlow, Bogle (Rodon 46), Gudmundsson, Ampadu, Struijk, Calvert-Lewin, Aaronson (Longstaff 84), Bijol (Nmecha 64), Okafor (Gnonto 64), Tanaka (Piroë 89), Justin.

Subs not used: Perri, James, Bornauw, Buonanotte. This game was originally due to take place on Saturday 25th April, but as we're playing Chelsea in the FA Cup semi final this weekend it was moved forward to Wednesday night, and I missed it because it clashed with a Gavin Barras Trio gig at Matt & Phreds….

So I kept checking the score on my phone while enjoying some awesome live jazz - there were no goals in the first half, Bournemouth took the lead on the hour mark, Leeds equalised shortly after, then Bournemouth appeared to have won it with five minutes to go.

Next time I looked at my phone it was 3-1 to Bournemouth so I put it away, and after the gig was amazed to discover that the final score was actually 2-2, because the home side's third goal had been disallowed for offside, and Sean Longstaff had equalised again for Leeds in the 97th minute!

Leeds United: Darlow, Bogle, Gudmundsson (Rodon 90), Ampadu, Struijk, Calvert-Lewin (Nmecha 90), Aaronson (Gruev 78), Bijol, Okafor (Gnonto 67), Tanaka (Longstaff 90), Justin.

Subs not used: Perri, Piroe, Bornauw, Buonanotte. This commanding 3–0 victory was another welcome boost to our chances of staying in the Premier League.

Leeds made a blistering start, racing into a two goal lead inside 20 minutes. James Justin opened the scoring with an acrobatic overhead kick, and Noah Okafor doubled the advantage shortly after, finishing off a swift attacking move to put Leeds firmly in control.

Wolves struggled to respond and offered little attacking threat, as Leeds dictated the tempo and created the better chances throughout. The result was sealed deep into stoppage time when Dominic Calvert-Lewin converted a penalty to cap off a dominant performance.