Leeds United: 2023/24 Season Stats
Daniel Farke at Leeds United
This page is dedicated to Leeds United manager Daniel Farke and his performance record at the club.
Leeds appointed 46-year-old Daniel Farke as the club's new manager on July 4th 2023 on a four-year deal. The two-time Championship-winning manager succeeded Sam Allardyce following the club's relegation from the Premier League in May 2023.
Farke had won the race to take over at Elland Road ahead of Patrick Vieira, Scott Parker and Carlos Corberan, with the latter deciding to stay at West Brom after signing a new long-term deal. Farke had asked specifically to be a 'manager' and not a 'head coach' during negotiations. The new Leeds coach also insisted the key personnel involved in the appointed had to persuade him to take the job: "They had to convince me to take this role. No one had to convince me about the potential and size of the club. But what was important for me was that I was convinced by the people here."
On July 27th 2023, Leeds confirmed that the EFL has approved the club's takeover by American investment group 49ers Enterprises. The chairman and majority shareholder, Andrea Radrizzani, agreed to sell his controlling stake in a deal valued at around £170million. The takeover saw Paraag Marathe, previously Vice Chairman, assume control as Leeds United Chairman and succeed Andrea Radrizzani as Leeds' majority owner.
Farke's appointment had been made by the club's new owners, but amidst the backdrop of a boardroom takeover, the new manager also had to navigate an incredibly challenging first few weeks, with a string of players activating their loan exit release clauses following the club's relegation from the Premier League. Over 12 first team players departed, either on loan or were sold, as the club were forced to slash the club's wage bill. The likes of Tyler Adams, Rodrigo, Robin Koch, Diego Llorente, Rasmus Kristensen, Jack Harrison, Luis Sinisterra (a complicated contractual disagreement), Marc Roca and Max Wober were all moved on.
Farke was honest from the beginning about the difficulty of the task at hand when he joined the club: "Our situation is more complicated than other clubs as we have to start later because of the takeover. Everything won’t be perfect in four weeks, but we need to create a solid foundation. We need to make some good and quick decisions, there are several to make for the group of players."
Farke also had to navigate a tricky situation with 20-year-old Italy striker Wilfried Gnonto, who downed tools after a failed effort to force through a move to Everton. Daniel Farke took a firm stance, and with the full support of the club, decided that they weren't going to sell the player. It resulted in the player eventually apologising before he could return from isolated training to first team training. Daniel James also returned to the club following a loan spell at Fulham and was made part of Farke's first team plans which proved to be a key masterstroke.
Farke's recruitment plan was aided in part by the appointment of Gretar Steinsson as the club's first ever technical director on July 18th 2023. Steinsson worked alongside Nick Hammond who had already been appointed as an interim football advisor the previous month and supported Farke with rebuilding and strengthening the squad.
Leeds brought in midfielder Ethan Ampadu from Chelsea, former Leeds graduate Sam Byram on a free transfer, highly sought- after centre-forward Joël Piroe from Swansea City, and midfielder duo Ilia Gruev from Werder Bremen and Glen Kamara from Rangers. The club also supported Farke with the loan signings of Joe Rodon and Djed Spence from Tottenham, and winger Jaidon Anthony from Bournemouth.
The former Norwich City boss took charge of his first game at the club with a 2-2 draw with Cardiff City at Elland Road on August 6th 2023. Farke recorded his first competitive win as Leeds manager in a 2-1 League Cup victory over Shrewsbury Town on August 9th 2023.
Leeds endured a difficult start, something which Farke had said on record a number of times that he had expected to happen. The Whites took just two points from our opening three league games and conceded first in all four competitive matches under Farke. Leeds eventually sealed the first league win of Farke's tenure with a 4-3 victory over Ipswich Town at Portman Road on August 26th 2023.
Leeds kept our first clean sheet under Farke in a goalless draw with Sheffield Wednesday at Elland Road on September 2nd 2023. The Whites recorded our biggest ever win over Millwall in a 3-0 victory at the Den on September 17th 2023.
The club kept 4 consecutive league clean sheets for the first time since March 2020 following a 3-0 home victory over Watford on September 29th 2023 before recording consecutive home league wins for the first time since August 2022 with a 1-0 win over QPR on October 4th 2023.
Farke has made Leeds a potent attacking force, with a formidable front four of Crysencio Summerville, Daniel James and Joel Piroe alongside the club's all-time record signing Georginio Rutter as the chief creator.
In October 2023, Daniel Farke ensured Leeds avoided defeat in our opening 6 home matches in a league season since 2009/10, oversaw his 150th Championship game as a manager and propelled Leeds into the top three positions of the divison for the first time under his tenure.
Leeds thumped Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield Town 4-1 at Elland Road on October 28th 2023. It was the first match in which Leeds enjoyed a 4-0 lead at half-time at Elland Road for the first time since April 1995. The club also won 4 consecutive home league games for the first time since June 2020 under Marcelo Bielsa.
Leeds came away from league leaders Leicester City with maximum points following an impressive 1-0 victory on November 3rd 2023. The result and performance was more than a statement of intent, as Leeds recorded two away victories in a single season against teams starting the day top of the league for the first time in the club's history. Farke also became the first Leeds manager in the top two divisions to win 8 out of his first 15 league games since Dick Ray in November 1927.
On November 12th 2023, Daniel Farke became the first manager in Leeds United's history to remain unbeaten in his first eight home league games in charge, eclipsing the record held by Dick Ray (7) in 1927.
A series of impressive results ensured Daniel Farke was named the Sky Bet Championship Manager of the Month for November 2023 on December 8th 2023 after having gained 10 points from 4 league matches and having secured an impressive 1-0 victory at league leaders Leicester City.
Leeds sealed a 3-1 win over Swansea City at Elland Road on November 29th 2023, which saw Leeds achieve 6 consecutive league wins at Elland Road for the first time since Dec 2019. The Whites also went unbeaten in the first 10 home games in a single season for the first time since the 1973/74 season under Don Revie.
A 3-2 home victory over Middlesbrough on December 2nd 2023 ensured Leeds secured 7 consecutive league wins at Elland Road in the top two tiers for the first time since December 1999.
Leeds ended the kit-hoodoo of failing to win in a non-home strip since the 2021/22 season, with a 2-0 victory at Blackburn on December 9 2023. It also meant Daniel Farke had won 12 of his first 20 league matches at Leeds.
Leeds recorded our joint-biggest competitive win against Ipswich with a 4-0 demolition at Elland Road on December 23rd 2023 as the club went into the Christmas peroid unbeaten at Elland Road in a single season for the first time since 1973/74.
Leeds encountered a major blip in their quest for automatic promotion after slipping to a third consecutive away league defeat following a 1-0 defeat at West Brom on December 29th 2023.
Leeds began 2024 in fine style, as the club recorded the club’s biggest ever competitive record win at Cardiff with a 3-0 victory on January 13th 2024. It was the first time Leeds had won 3 consecutive matches by 3+ goals without conceding a single goal for the first time since October 1967.
Defensively, Leeds made changes due to a groin/adductor injury to Pascal Struijk which saw Farke make a bold move of installing midfielder Ethan Ampadu at centre-back alongside Joe Rodon. It meant Ilia Gruev would become a regular starter alongside Glen Kamara in central midfield. Little did we know that Leeds would go on to record 9 consecutive league wins and 8 clean sheets with the transformation.
A 1-0 victory over Norwich City at Elland Road on January 24th 2024 ensured Leeds won our opening 5 matches of a calendar year for the first time in the club's history. It was a devastatingly impressive run of form which saw the club climb up the table and resulted in Daniel Farke winning his second Sky Bet Championship Manager of the Month award at Leeds on February 9 2024. Farke also became the first Leeds manager to win five consecutive league matches at the start of a calendar year on February 2nd 2024.
The two-time Championship title winning manager became the first Leeds United boss to win two Manager of the Month awards in a debut season. It was just rewards for a perfect month in which the club picked up 12 points out of a possible 12 after four successive wins against Birmingham City, Cardiff City, Preston North End and Norwich City.
Leeds came away from Bristol City with maximum points following a 1-0 win on February 2nd 2024, and was the first time the club had won our first 5 league games at the start of a calendar year. It was also the first time Leeds secured five consecutive league wins since July 2020.
Leeds scored 3+ extra-time goals in a single FA Cup match away from home for the first time in the club's history in a 4-1 win at Plymouth Argyle on February 6th 2024 to set up a fifth round tie against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Leeds stretched the club's unbeaten run to 18 home games in a season for the first time since 1973/74 with a 3-0 victory over Rotherham United on February 10th 2024. Farke's Leeds had now secured 6 consecutive league wins for the first time since July 2020.
An impressive 4-0 win at Swansea City soon followed on February 13th 2024, a result which ensured Leeds remained unbeaten in our first 10 matches of a calendar year for the first time since 1975. Farke had also sealed 20 league wins after 32 games in a single season for the first time since 1971 under Don Revie.
Leeds propelled themselves back into the automatic promotion race following a 2-0 win over Plymouth at Elland Road. Leeds had delivered 8 consecutive league wins in the top two tiers in a single season for the first time since 1931 along with recording 6 consecutive away league victories in a season for the first time since 1963.
Leeds came back from 0-1 down to defeat league leaders Leicester City 3-1 at Elland Road on February 23rd 2024. It was widely regarded as one of the greatest atmospheres at Elland Road in thirty years. It was a result that signalled Leeds' statement of intent on a night that also saw the club hit a major landmark as Leeds recorded a 2000th league win in the club's history.
Daniel Farke's side also matched a club record 9 consecutive league wins in a single season for the first time since 1931 until a 1-1 draw with Huddersfield on March 2nd 2024. A return of 28 points from 10 league matches had never been bettered in the club's history. Leeds hard earned 72 points after the first 34 matches of a single second tier season for the first time in the club's history.
Leeds won a seventh consecutive home league victory with a 1-0 win over Stoke City at Elland Road on March 5th 2024. It was the club's 16th league clean sheet if the season and stretched the club's unbeaten run at Elland Road to 20 matches under Farke.
Daniel Farke won consecutive Championship Manager of the Month awards on March 8th 2024 when he was rewarded by the EFL following a perfect month in February which saw the club pick up maximum points by winning all five matches and keeping four clean sheets. He became the first Leeds manager to win three Manager of the Month awards in his debut season (November 2023, January 2024 and February 2024).
Leeds stretched the club's unbeaten league run in 2024 to 12 matches for the first time since 2011 following a 2-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough on March 8th 2023. It also saw Leeds go unbeaten in 6 league matches away from home at the start of a calendar year for the first time since 2001 in the Premier League (9). Farke had won 24 of the first 37 league matches in a single season for Leeds, a tally that had never been surpassed at this stage of a campaign.
Leeds secured an eighth consecutive Championship win at Elland Road with a 2-0 victory over Millwall and reached the top of the Championship for the first time under Daniel Farke for 12 days before a 2-2 draw at Watford. It saw Leeds stretch the club's unbeaten home run to 21 matches and record 8 consecutive home league victories for the first time since September 2009.
Leeds recorded 9 consecutive league wins at Elland Road in the top two tiers for the first time since between September and December 1989 in Division Two under Howard Wilkinson with a 3-1 win over Hull City at Elland Road on April 1st 2024.
Daniel Farke was nominated for the 2024 EFL Championship Manager of the Season on April 3rd 2024 but was beaten to the accolade by Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna. Leeds suffered a first league defeat in 2024 following a 2-1 loss at Coventry on April 6th 2024, a result which saw the club drop out of the top two for the first time since March 5th 2024.
The German tactician successfully transformed Elland Road from circus to fortress, which saw Leeds remain unbeaten for 23 consecutive matches at Elland Road until April 13th 2024 and a 0-1 home defeat to Blackburn in the Championship.
Daniel Farke became only the second Leeds manager in the club's history to reach 90 points in a single league season (after Marcelo Bielsa reached 93 in 2019/20) with his 50th match in charge of the club with a 4-3 comeback win over Middlesbrough on April 22nd 2024. Farke secured a top three finish in his debut season and became the first Leeds manager to reach 90 points in his first season in charge.
Leeds went 23 matches unbeaten at Elland Road. Manchester City were the only side that managed to better that record across England's top six tiers in being only club in England's top six tiers to remain unbeaten at home across all competitions throughout the who of 2023/24.
Daniel Farke's side reached the Championship play-off final following a 4-0 aggregate win over Norwich City in the semi-finals before suffering a 0-1 Championship play-off final defeat to Southampton at Wembley on May 26 2024.
Leeds were dealt a tough pre-season with the departures of several high profile first team stars including Archie Gray to Tottenham Hotspur, Glen Kamara to Rennes, Crysencio Summerville to West Ham and Georginio Rutter to Brighton and Hove Albion.
The club worked hard to bring bolster the decimated squad with the signings of centre-back Joe Rodon on a £10m permanent deal from Tottenham Hotspur, central midfielder Joe Rothwell on a season-long loan deal from AFC Bournemouth and full-back Jayden Bogle joined in a £5m deal from Sheffield United. Leeds' attacking department was bolstered by the £10m signing of Largie Ramazani from Almería and the season-long loan signing of winger Manor Solomon from Tottenham Hotspur. The August Deadline Day signings of 25-year-old midfielder Ao Tanaka from Fortuna Düsseldorf and 24-year-old full-back Isaac Schmidt from FC St. Gallen also strengthened the squad.
Leeds kicked off their second season under Daniel Farke with an opening day six-goal thriller with a 3-3 draw with Portsmouth at Elland Road on August 10th 2024. Leeds suffered a first round League Cup 0-3 home defeat to Middlesbrough on August 14th 2024 before a goalless draw at West Brom on August 17th 2024. Leeds sealed the club's first win of the 2024/25 season with a comfortable 0-2 victory over Sheffield Wednesday on August 23rd 2024.
Leeds suffered a first league defeat of the 2024/25 season with a 0-1 home defeat against Scott Parker's Burnley on September 14th 2024. Leeds started a league campaign with three consecutive away clean sheets for the first time since 1970/71 following a 0-2 victory over Cardiff City at the Cardiff City Stadium on September 21st 2024. Leeds recorded the club's biggest win over Coventry since 2004 with a 3-0 home win over Mark Robins' side on September 28th 2024 to move within two points of league leaders West Brom.
Consecutive draws at both Norwich City and Sunderland followed (the latter owing to a horrendous goalkeeping error from Illan Meslier in the 96th minute) before securing a significant 2-0 victory over Sheffield United at Elland Road in the Yorkshire derby on October 18th 2024. Leeds defeated Watford 2-1 at Elland Road on October 22nd 2024 to move level with league leaders Sunderland on 22 points and record three consecutive home wins for the first time since April. Farke's side were held to a goalless draw with Bristol City at Ashton Gate on October 26th 2024. Farke's side thumped Wayne Rooney's Plymouth
Argyle side 3-0 at Elland Road on November 2nd 2024 to rise up to second in the Championship.
Leeds suffered a first defeat in nine league games when they fell to a 0-1 midweek defeat to Millwall at The Den on November 6th 2024. The match was Daniel Farke's 70th game in charge as Leeds United manager. Leeds bounced back with a 2-0 victory over QPR at Elland Road on November 10th 2024 and recorded five consecutive wins at Elland Road.
Leeds returned from the last international break of 2024 and won an enthralling seven-goal thriller with a 4-3 comeback win at Swansea City with Manor Solomon scoring twice and Wilfried Gnonto scoring a 91st minute winner on November 24th 2024 which saw Farke's side top the Championship on goal difference. The Whites returned to the top of the Championship three days later following a 3-0 victory over Luton Town on November 27th 2024 and a 15th home league victory for the club in 2024.
Leeds fell to a 1-0 defeat to Blackburn at Ewood Park on November 30th 2024 courtesy of a first half Todd Cantwell penalty. Leeds bounced back to winning ways with a 2-0 victory over Derby County at Elland Road on December 7th 2024.
Below are some of the headline statistics behind Daniel Farke's reign at Leeds United.