Leeds United Championship Title Odds: Has Daniel Farke done it again?

Leeds United are flying right now. Daniel Farke’s men have won their last eight league games on the bounce, and they’ve won their last five without even conceding a goal. They are yet to lose a game in all competitions in 2024 and have now climbed to second in the Championship. 

Next up? League leaders Leicester City at Elland Road. 

They currently sit nine points adrift of Enzo Maresca’s imperious league leaders who looked as though they would canter to the Championship title. However, a shock defeat at home to Middlesbrough last time out has given the chasing pack a glimmer of hope, and if Leeds can pull off a big win, we could be in for a thrilling finale to this season. 

This is the highest standard that has ever been set in the Championship, with Leicester, Leeds, Southampton and Ipswich Town all setting a ridiculous pace at the top end of the table. The Tractor Boys have lost just four times in 32 league matches, yet find themselves down in fourth as the relegated Premier League trio look determined to take the automatic promotion places. 

For Leeds, they finally seemed to have turned a corner in 2024 after a comparatively slow start. They drew with Cardiff City, Hull City and Sheffield Wednesday towards the start of the season and it felt like frustration was beginning to set in for Leeds fans. However, Farke is a man who knows how to navigate his way out of the Championship, and he often does so at a canter. 

His previous two title-winning campaigns with Norwich City at this level have seen his side play with such attacking intent and potency, and although you would think that came at a cost defensively, both of those Norwich teams only conceded 36 goals across 46 matches. Sheer dominance and goalscoring talent saw them to top spot on two occasions, and although it seemed unlikely six weeks ago, they have an outside shout of winning the title once again.

They’ll surely have to beat Leicester at Elland Road to stand half a chance, but given how they have been playing of late, that remains a real possibility. In fact, they are now EVS to win that match, with the Foxes priced as the 13/5 outsiders. 

Win that, and it really is game on for the Championship title. But how has Farke managed to work his second tier magic again? Well, building a squad who wanted to play for the club was the first port of call. The decision to loan out the likes of Luis Sinisterra, Brenden Aaronsen, Jack Harrison and Marc Roca, among others, felt like a money-saving exercise that may not necessarily help the club in the long term. 

It was certainly necessary however, and it got rid of a whole host of players who had failed in the Premier League and didn’t want to be at the club in the second tier. Farke came into a club that needed to press the reset button, and was allowed to make some sensible signings to take the club forward. 

Ethan Ampadu is arguably the pick of the lot, joining from Chelsea for a bargain price of £7m. It felt like a big outlay at the time, but now the 22-year-old could be worth triple that if he is a Premier League player next term. Alongside Glen Kamara and Ilia Gruev, the trio have revamped Leeds’ midfield and provided some much-needed steel to this title-chasing team. The Bulgarian has forced his way into the team during this winning run and at 23, is another young player who should be able to increase his transfer value at Elland Road. 

Joel Piroe was the most expensive summer arrival, and his partnership with Georginho Rutter has worked wonders for Leeds’ goal threat. At one point during this season, Leeds fans were criticising Farke for playing Piroe at nine and Rutter as the ten, rather than the other way around. However, the German boss explained it was due to their pressing ability and contribution to the team rather than their goalscoring talents. 

"Really my last point now,” he said after a long response to this question in a press conference in October. “I was a striker, I started my career at a small club, and the striker won the golden boot, and we had to sell him. Two more times. I went to Dortmund, I had a striker, he won the golden boot. Five seasons in a row, my strikers won the golden boot. Then I went to England to join Norwich; we signed Pukki, and he won the golden boot twice. I went to Gladbach, had Thuram; he scored double figures and played in a World Cup final. When it comes to strikers, I know my business, and when it comes down to winning this league, I know my business."

Piroe was the main man at Swansea, but having struggled for goals at times, Farke explained that he wanted to have two or three ‘strikers’ on the pitch. Players who are more than comfortable in front of goal and give his side more than one attacking threat. Looking at the goalscoring charts, he has got his wish. 

Piroe is on 11, Dan James is on ten, Rutter is on seven, Wilfried Gnonto is on six and Patrick Bamford has got five. There are goals spread throughout this squad. But top of the charts and currently leading the way is Crysencio Summerville who has been the Yorkshire club’s standout player this term. 

While a host of other players were looking for moves away from the club in the summer, the 22-year-old saw this as an opportunity to stamp his mark on this club. And boy has he done that. He’s been in imperious form of late, and is contributing far more to the team than just goals. From his wide left position, he is a constant threat, offering direct runs and pace to a side that seems to have found the perfect balance. 

With Ampadu dropping into the back line, Gruev and Kamara dominating the midfield and the front four causing chaos, there doesn’t look to be a lot that can stop Leeds this season. Junior Firpo and Illan Meslier are banishing the demons of last term, while Archie Gray has been superb since breaking into the team, and Farke’s decision to play him as an inverted right-back has worked a treat. He’s a special talent, and at just 17 could be the next teenage superstar to play for England. 

It took a few months, but now Farke has got his Leeds machine firing on all cylinders. They have a perfectly balanced squad, and even a couple of injuries shouldn’t knock them off course given the staggering amount of depth they have. Leicester will find out on Friday night just how good Leeds have become over the second half of the season. Given the Whites beat them 1-0 at the King Power in November, we could see another seismic result at Elland Road on Friday night. Farke has worked his Championship magic again, and Leeds feel unstoppable right now. 

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