Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored deep into stoppage time to seal a dramatic 1-0 win for Leeds United against Brighton at Elland Road earlier today.
In the club’s final home game of the season, Leeds gave the fans the perfect ending, with Calvert-Lewin’s late winner sparking huge celebrations around the stadium.
The victory lifted Leeds to 13th in the Premier League table, and if results elsewhere go in their favour and they beat West Ham on the final day, the Whites could still finish as high as 11th.
Very few people would have predicted that at the start of the campaign, especially when there were calls for Daniel Farke to be replaced because of his previous struggles in the Premier League.
Instead, the Leeds boss has silenced his critics and appears to have all but secured his long-term future at Elland Road following the win over Brighton.
Daniel Farke has been backed to be in contention for Manager of the Season
Leeds fans were left shocked when Farke’s name was missing from the contenders list released by the Premier League for the Manager of the Season accolade.
Mikel Arteta, Keith Andrews, Pep Guardiola and Andoni Iraola are four of the six names. However, what irked Leeds fans was the presence of Regis Le Bris and Michael Carrick.
Le Bris has more or less done the same job as Farke, while spending more money, while Carrick only took charge of Manchester United in January.
TalkSPORT pundit Adrian Durham has stressed that Farke deserves to be on that list for the work he has done in turning Leeds into a mid-table Premier League side this season.
He insisted that the Leeds boss certainly deserves to be ahead of Carrick in that list.
Durham said on talkSPORT: “When you think through the job he’s done, turning Ethan Ampadu into a genuine Premier League captain.
“Signings like Anton Stach and Gabriel Gudmundsson – Stach is a really good player.
“He’s managed the squad superbly. There is a leadership group featuring Ampadu, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Joe Rodon, and he is happy to let them manage the players.
“Farke should be on the shortlist for Manager of the Season. Certainly ahead of Michael Carrick, I would say.”
The 49ers must offer him a new contract
Even though some Leeds fans still had reservations about Daniel Farke last year, he has fully won over the supporters this season after leading the club to Premier League survival.
The German coach managed to completely change Leeds’ fortunes during a tough period in October and November, adjusting the system and finding a style that brought the best out of the team.
Since then, Leeds have become one of the toughest sides to beat in the league, suffering just four defeats in their last 24 Premier League matches.
If Farke were to leave the club this summer, it would be a major blow for the 49ers from both a football and public relations perspective.
The owners now need to match the manager’s ambition, convince him to commit his future to Leeds and back him properly in the transfer market so the squad can continue improving next season.
