Leeds United have a huge game away against Crystal Palace this afternoon, with the Premier League relegation battle taking another unexpected twist.
West Ham picked up an unexpected point against Manchester City on Saturday night, and although the gap between the Whites and the drop zone remains at three points, with Nottingham Forest now dropping to 18th, West Ham’s impressive form is coming at just the wrong time.
Daniel Farke will know that in order to avoid an extremely nervy end to the season, his side must pick up more points away from home, with United having the joint second-worst away record in the division.
However, the German manager’s recent comparison of his side to a non-league team will certainly raise a few eyebrows.
Daniel Farke makes astonishing Leeds United comparison
With just nine games to go in the season, Farke has done an exceptional job to get Leeds into a position where Premier League survival is firmly in their hands.
One of the reasons for the Whites’ success so far this season has been the morale of the team, with Farke praising this attribute that seemingly every member of the squad possesses, even the ones who have found gametime hard to come by this season.
Speaking in his pre-game press conference, Farke said: “They have a spirit a bit like what you normally have perhaps in non-league or lower league football – the same camaraderie, togetherness and the same spirit,
“Really, they have the feeling they’re coming together, and they feel like mates. This is exceptional because at this level, there’s so much money in the business.
“It’s always about new contracts and bonuses, and to play as much to get the next contract, and very often looking a bit more just after himself. But with this group of players, we have so many top, top characters.”
Farke continued: “You get the feeling that even if someone perhaps is not playing and is just on the bench, or not in the squad or injured, everyone really chips in. It is never selfish and never just hoping that a teammate in his position has a poor performance. There’s always encouragement.
“This is really second to none. And I can just praise it. I think this is outstanding. If you lose a game, but then to still stay together and united when the sun is not always shining – this is very remarkable, and what makes this group really second to none.”
Data suggests Leeds United must pick up more wins
In order to reach the magic 40-point mark to effectively guarantee their safety, Leeds must average a point a game for their last nine outings.
However, an unexpected second away win of the season would be a massive step towards safety for United.
Whilst Leeds have become a team that is harder to beat as the season has progressed, the reason they are in the position they are is because they don’t win enough games.
- Leeds have won just two of their 11 Premier League games in 2026
- United have gone over a month without a win in the league, with their last one coming against Nottingham Forest at the start of February
- In comparison, West Ham have won four Premier League games since the turn of the year (Sofascore)
An away win at Palace would certainly calm the nerves for the Leeds supporters as the battle for survival continues to heat up and give United some much-needed breathing room.
