Leeds United have stumbled in the race for automatic promotion and are facing a real threat of missing out on a Premier League berth for the second season running. The Whites have hit a patch of poor form at the worst time of the season, and they need a revival soon with just seven games left in the season.
Daniel Farke and his Leeds United players are working hard behind the scenes to turn things around and return to winning ways when they take on Luton Town away from home on Saturday.
Several Leeds players are struggling for form, and they have lost a bit of the spark they had in their football, even a few weeks back when they beat Sunderland and Sheffield United in back-to-back games.
However, the concerning thing for Farke is the form of Illan Meslier and he is now under real pressure to drop the Frenchman from the team ahead of next weekend.
Burnley man would have sorted out promotion for Leeds United
Illan Meslier’s errors have cost Leeds points this season, while Burnley have the best goalkeeper in the division within their ranks.
Scott Parker’s side can afford to play percentage football and grind out narrow 1-0 wins because James Trafford has been brilliant and is not prone to making silly errors.
Ex-Championship star Sam Parkin conceded Leeds are the best team in the Championship, but with a poor goalkeeper in Meslier between the sticks.
He indicated that if they had Trafford in the team, Leeds would be celebrating promotion at this stage of the season.
“Probably [Leeds are the best team with a poor goalkeeper]”, Parkin said on Benjamin Bloom’s Podcast.
“If they had Michael Cooper or James Trafford, they’d probably be there now or almost there.
“It’s problematic for them. Farke has been incredibly loyal.”
Daniel Farke could pay for his loyalty
The Leeds boss decided to back the Frenchman earlier in the season when he made a few more errors, which cost Leeds precious Championship points.
Farke has been unwaveringly loyal towards certain players, and Meslier is one of them. In fact, there is a real feeling that the Leeds boss will not drop him from the team against Luton.
Can you name the Leeds game these 10 goal celebrations are from?
The Leeds boss is facing a decision that could shape or ruin Leeds’ season, and if he remains loyal to Meslier, he could pay dearly at the end of the campaign.
A few have suggested, Farke could see the decision getting taken out of his hands if he is not prepared to drop the goalkeeper in the coming days.
