Home Leeds United NewsBarely Touched the Ball: Leeds ace now at risk after worrying 5-pass display, Farke must act

Barely Touched the Ball: Leeds ace now at risk after worrying 5-pass display, Farke must act

by Alex Matthews

Leeds United showed huge heart at Elland Road with a 3-3 draw against Liverpool, fighting back again and again in a crazy Premier League match.

But even after the big comeback, one Leeds player is now under real pressure, and his starting spot looks in danger.

The match was full of drama, late goals, mistakes, and big moments.

In the end, Leeds fans left the ground proud of the team, but also worried about some poor performances that could hurt the club in the long run.

Below is a full breakdown of what happened, which players struggled, and why one star now looks likely to be dropped.

Leeds Show Big Heart In Wild 3-3 Draw

Leeds started the night with good confidence after recent strong results.

But early in the second half, everything went wrong. Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitiké scored twice in quick time, and suddenly the Whites were 2-0 down at home.

Many teams would have collapsed at that point, but Daniel Farke’s side did not give up. Instead, they pushed harder.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin pulled one back from the penalty spot, Anton Stach smashed in another, and suddenly Elland Road was alive again.

Liverpool then scored again through Dominik Szoboszlai to make it 3-2, and it looked like the visitors would go home with all three points.

But Leeds refused to stop fighting.

In the 96th minute, Ao Tanaka scored a stunning volley from a corner, sending the stadium crazy and earning Leeds a huge point.

The late goal showed the new mentality Farke has built, strong, brave, and never giving up.

However, not all players had a good night.

Some Leeds Players Had A Very Poor Game

Even though the comeback was exciting, a few Leeds players struggled badly.

Jayden Bogle had one of his weakest matches so far. He lost the ball too many times, failed to win his tackles, and could not handle Cody Gakpo on the right side.

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Joe Rodon also made a costly mistake when his loose pass gifted Liverpool a goal. These errors nearly ruined Leeds’ chances of getting back into the game.

But the player under the most pressure now is Noah Okafor.

Why Noah Okafor Now Looks Set To Be Dropped

Noah Okafor has been an exciting signing for Leeds this season, but his performance against Liverpool was very disappointing, and it might cost him his starting place.

The Swiss attacker played around 65 minutes before being taken off. But during that time, he struggled to get involved and could not help Leeds build attacks.

He only made a few passes, lost the ball several times, and never really threatened Liverpool’s defence.

His numbers from the match were very low for a forward. He barely touched the ball, he didn’t win any aerial duels, and he only completed one dribble.

Meanwhile, the players who came on for him, Tanaka, Brenden Aaronson, and Wilfried Gnonto, completely changed the game.

Tanaka scored the equaliser, Aaronson got an assist, and Gnonto won a penalty. They all made a big impact, while Okafor could not.

With the team fighting to stay in the Premier League, Farke cannot afford to start players who are struggling, especially when the bench players are performing better.

Because of all this, Okafor is now the main candidate to be dropped for the next match.

Farke Has A Big Decision To Make

Daniel Farke has shown many times this season that he is not afraid to make bold decisions.

Leeds now has real competition for places, which is good for survival. But it also means that poor performances will be punished.

Okafor might still play an important part later in the season, but right now, the manager is likely to go with the players who are showing more energy, more confidence, and more impact.

Leeds fans will now wait to see who starts the next game and whether Okafor’s place in the team has slipped away.

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