Daniel Farke has described keeping Leeds United in the Premier League as one of the greatest achievements of his managerial career, following a dramatic 1-0 victory over Brighton at Elland Road.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s stoppage-time winner not only secured three points but also extended Leeds’ unbeaten league run to eight matches, propelling them to 13th in the table. The club’s survival had already been confirmed prior to last week’s 1-1 draw at Tottenham, making the win a fitting celebration for the home fans.
After the final whistle, Farke’s players completed a lap of honour, and the German head coach received a rousing reception as he addressed the supporters. Reflecting on the moment, Farke said: “Very high, because if it would be easier if, in the last 25 years, several other managers would have done this as well. Just Marcelo (Bielsa) was able to bring this club to the Premier League and to play a fantastic first season after promotion, and that says a lot.”
He added: “To bring such a massive club out of a really desperate situation right now into a position where we are fully allowed to label ourselves a proper club, even on top-flight level, feels very, very special. It ranks really, really high.”
Leeds had failed to register an effort on target until Calvert-Lewin’s last-gasp goal, soaking up long spells of pressure from Brighton. The winner came when Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke under-hit a back-pass, allowing Calvert-Lewin to pounce and turn the ball home in the sixth minute of added time.
“We defended our goal really well,” Farke said. “Of course Brighton, especially in the second half, were the more dominant side, but we also wanted to stay in the game and never stopped believing that there would be this one chance. And then also with such a composed finish from Dominic, it feels massive. I’m just happy that we are able to spoil our supporters and find the home game also with another clean sheet win and they can celebrate this season with a perfect fitting, finishing in style.”
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler felt his side deserved all three points and called for calm heads from his “leaders” as their hopes of European football now rest on the final game of the season. The Seagulls sit seventh, two points behind sixth-placed Bournemouth (who have a game in hand) and one ahead of eighth-placed Brentford, ahead of their home match against Manchester United next Sunday.
Hurzeler said: “We made a good game, particularly second half, we controlled the game, we created plenty of chances, so we also see the positives in this bad result today, in this bad finish. That’s now my responsibility as the head coach, to be responsible for that, to stay positive, to keep having the belief, and that’s what I need from my leaders, that’s what we need from everyone, and then we can bounce back.”
He stood by Van Hecke for his costly late mistake, adding: “Football is a game of errors. We did one error, we got punished for that. So we have to accept it, we have to go on. We have to analyse it, prepare well for the last game and then we go all in.”
