Leeds United saw their seven-match unbeaten run come to a cruel end on Wednesday night, falling to a dramatic 4–3 defeat against Newcastle United at St James’ Park.
Widely billed as a contender for game of the season, the contest delivered a breathless seven-goal spectacle, with the hosts snatching all three points thanks to a decisive strike deep into stoppage time.
Leeds looked set for a remarkable away victory before Bruno Guimarães brought Newcastle level from the penalty spot in the 90th minute. The blow proved terminal, as Harvey Barnes struck again 10 minutes later to seal a devastating late winner.
Despite the pulsating nature of the encounter, frustration lingered among Leeds supporters, with goalkeeper Lucas Perri coming under scrutiny once more after appearing capable of doing more to keep out Barnes’ injury-time effort.
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke slams Lucas Perri
Farke gambled big on signing Perri from Lyon in the summer. However, the Brazilian goalkeeper has little to suggest that he is the long-term solution between the sticks for Leeds.
The Leeds manager has never been happy about his goalkeeper’s distribution skills. But he has now questioned his shot-stopping abilities after the Newcastle error.
Farke insisted that given the pace of the ball and the fact that Perri got his hands to Barnes’ winner, the goalkeeper should have saved the goal and allowed his team to leave the North East with a point in their bags.
Farke told BBC Radio Leeds: “I’ll have to watch it back.
“To be honest, it was saveable and should be saved. If you touch the ball, and the ball doesn’t come at pace, it should be saveable.
“If you want to come away with a point, then of course, in this moment, you need your goalkeeper to make a save.”
Perri is running out of time at Leeds
Daniel Farke cut a frustrated figure after the defeat to Newcastle United, particularly in relation to his goalkeeper, though his options remain limited for now.
Leeds took a calculated risk last summer by naming Perri as their first-choice keeper following his arrival from Lyon, effectively sidelining Illan Meslier in favour of the Brazilian.
| Penalties faced (saved) | 1 (0) |
|---|---|
| Total saves | 3 |
| Goals prevented (xG) | -1.13 |
| Saves from inside the box | 2 |
| Punches | 2 |
| High claims | 2 |
Concerns surfaced early in the campaign, with Farke questioning Perri’s comfort on the ball, and those worries have since been underlined by a run of unconvincing displays.
With no financial scope to recruit another goalkeeper in January, Leeds are left hoping Perri can iron out his mistakes over the remainder of the season. But if standards fail to improve, the Whites are expected to revisit the position in the summer transfer window and move for a new number one.
