Daniel Farke eyes Leeds United 'proper party' with Brenden Aaronson plan in pre-Stoke City press conference

Farke held his pre-match press conference under an embargo in the immediate aftermath of Saturday's 4-0 win at home to Oxford United. Here is what the Whites boss had to say.

On Stoke

"It's important that after an impressive home game our supporters are allowed to celebrate Christmas in style. But for us hard work is important. We've drawn a line under an impressive win and we're now up to deliver a good performance and result on Boxing Day. Tough games are coming up, this is traditionally always a tough away fixture at Stoke. We won't allow us to rest, we're in even on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, work on the pitch and meeting room."

On Stoke travel and Christmas squad requirements

“We'll travel on Christmas day, we'll stay in the hotel so sadly no family time for my players and staff but we have greater things we think about and we want a proper party next May. We need to be professional. We'll celebrate Christmas when there's a little bit of time before the FA Cup game. We want to have good habits, good sleep, to be ready again to send our supporters back from Stoke in a good mood."

On away form and more on Stoke

"I don't like to differ between home and away. Home is always nicer, no travel, easier to be there spot on with 100 per cent, with 35,000 fired up at Elland Road, you can't afford to let yourself give one or two per cent less. Before this game we had the seventh best away record. The best away team after 10 games was on 17 points and we have 14 so we're not too far away. A few of the last games we could have started a bit more on it, we've conceded the first goal. You can't take it for granted that you'll turn the game like at Swansea or Sunderland, it's always easier when you go on the front foot and go into the lead. We want to be switched on and start with 100 per cent. Thank God it's not this cold, windy Tuesday night in Stoke. It's Boxing Day. I know it's always a difficult fixture, I've had some impressive wins in former years but they will use this game, like more or less every home team against Leeds United, they have nothing to lose and can go for it. Quite often it's a sold out stadium, the game of the season for them, perhaps they're more on it. We have a heavy shirt to represent. We're used to this situation, we can't search for excuses or help. We don't travel in fear, we know that if we raise our standards and play to them we."

On Brenden Aaronson being alone at Christmas

"I probably will invite him, he would probably prefer to be a bit alone. Sometimes we forget they're humans and not robots. We're living in times with social media and sometimes lots of negativity. Sometimes it's difficult for the young guys. But it's not necessary to have too much sympathy, they're leading a privileged life and they can't just take the positives - living the dream, earning lots of money with their hobby, celebrated - they have to take the negatives. But we as a group have to make sure they feel a second family within the group and we make sure they can spend days with each other. We're also a family at Leeds United. It's important to work a bit on this stuff. They can deliver when they feel comfortable. We also need competitiveness. If you want to be successful in this tough business then you have to give some sacrifices and they're used to it.”