Farke’s team may be the favourites to win tonight, but he’s not taking anything for granted.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Leeds United face a difficult away game against Watford tonight.
- Daniel Farke has told his team that this will not be an easy game for them.
- The Welsh players’ recent grief may affect their performance, so Farke must ensure they are mentally prepared for the encounter in Hertfordshire.
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke believes his side will face a difficult match away to Watford tonight, according to the Whites’ media team.
Farke’s side is currently in fantastic form, going unbeaten in the league in 2024 and climbing to the top of the Championship table.
Leicester City may eventually catch them with a game in hand, but given how far apart the two clubs were earlier this season, Leeds can be incredibly proud of themselves for leapfrogging the Foxes.
The West Yorkshire side needed some impressive victories to do this, and their 3-1 victory over Enzo Maresca’s side helped them along the way.
They may have dropped points at Huddersfield Town recently, which will be disappointing, but no one can complain about Leeds this calendar year given the achievements they have achieved.
Another victory is necessary this afternoon, and they may have been heavy favourites to gain three points if they had faced the Hornets in the latter stages of Valerien Ismael’s reign.
But with Tom Cleverley in charge, this may be an intriguing matchup.
Farke warns Leeds United ahead of Watford: “We have to dig in”
Farke will be anxious to see his squad win in Hertfordshire, but he knows it will be a difficult challenge.
Speaking about Cleverley’s team, he told the Whites’ media team: “It’s a home game, so I think they will be really motivated to be there with back-to-back wins, and we have to be prepared for a really difficult challenge.
“Given the circumstances, we must dig in and demonstrate great unity and togetherness.”
“I am also confident that we will need our away supporters to carry us through demanding and difficult stages of this game.
Because this is undoubtedly a key game for grinding out results and winning as many points as possible.”
Leeds United will want their Welsh players to respond to their recent loss.
Leeds’ Welsh players faced heartbreak in the Euros play-offs against Poland earlier this week, which may have counted against them during the international break.
This means Ethan Ampadu, Dan James, Connor Roberts, and Joe Rodon will be eliminated.
James may be especially demoralised as a result of his key penalty miss, so Farke will need to rally these guys and ensure they are all focused.
If not, they might easily lose to Hertfordshire tonight.
This is because their Welsh players are extremely influential, with Ampadu, James, and Rodon all playing significant roles this season.
