Jamie Carragher agrees with Graham Smyth's Leeds United Verdict amid honest Daniel Farke prediction
Leeds United's defeat to Aston Villa left them in the Premier League relegation zone.
Jamie Carragher believes Leeds United haven’t endured the worst possible start to their Premier League return but insists results must change ‘very quickly’.
Leeds fell to their fifth defeat in six games at the hands of Aston Villa on Sunday, throwing away a one-goal lead to lose 2-1 at Elland Road. Lukas Nmecha put his side ahead somewhat fortunately when blocking Ezri Konsa’s goal-line clearance inside eight minutes but a second-half brace from Morgan Rogers earned all three points for the Villains.
Rogers pulled Villa level three minutes into the second-half with a deft finish, having been found by half-time substitute Donyell Malen. The England midfielder then scored from a free-kick with 15 minutes remaining, having seen Pascal Struijk bring down teammate Ross Barkley just outside the Leeds box.
Leeds fell into the relegation zone on Saturday after West Ham took a point from Bournemouth and defeat against Villa means they will stay there for at least a week, having taken just three points from the last 18 on offer. Each defeat is increasing pressure on manager Daniel Farke and according to Carragher, things need to improve quickly.
“The longer this run continues for Leeds, you would fear for the manager,” the former Liverpool captain told Sky Sports in the immediate aftermath of Sunday’s defeat. “As I said, we know, in the summer, there was talk about his job, then, even on the back of a successful campaign in the Championship.
“So, yeah, it’s the first time they’ve found themselves in the bottom three. It hasn’t been the worst start in the world, but it’ll need to change very quickly.”
Leeds United ‘not quite good enough’ according to Graham Smyth
Leeds have a huge task on their hands in changing their fortunes any time soon, with a trip to Manchester City this weekend before Chelsea and Liverpool head to Elland Road. And Carragher is not alone in believing Leeds have been okay so far, but must be better if they are to survive.
YEP chief football writer Graham Smyth wrote in his post-match verdict that Leeds are ‘not quite good enough right now’ and that was summed up by Sunday’s performance. The Whites battled their way into an early lead and put an in-form Villa side under huge pressure, albeit without the final third quality to extend their lead.
Defensively, Leeds kept on Ollie Watkins on a tight leash and the Villa striker barely had a sniff, but another small lapse in concentration was punished. Donyell Malen was not tracked by either Noah Okafor or a central midfielder, with the Villains man in space to find Rogers for the equaliser.
Gabriel Gudmundsson then awkwardly tried to clear a dangerous ball and slipped, his effort falling to Barkley and leaving Struijk with little option but to commit to a challenge. The Dutchman was penalised for a foul and Rogers scored the resulting free-kick, with Lucas Perri seemingly unsighted by his own wall.
Unlike Brighton and Nottingham Forest, Sunday’s defeat to Villa was another decided by fine margins but those fine margins keep going against Leeds. Farke will need some to start going his way soon or the pressure will only increase.