Leeds United Daniel Farke Demands More Control After Everton Draw

Leeds United extended their useful Premier League run with a 1-1 draw at Everton, yet Daniel Farke stressed the team still must manage attacking phases better after missing several chances and letting control slip, even though the point strengthened their position six points above the relegation places and continued a sequence of just one league defeat since the start of December.

The meeting at the Hill Dickinson Stadium saw Leeds United go ahead through James Justin before Thierno Barry struck in the 76th minute, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin hit the frame of the goal and Brenden Aaronson almost scored during a commanding first half for the visitors, who later struggled to keep that same tempo after the interval as Everton saw more of the ball.

From the beginning of December, no Premier League side has lost fewer matches than Leeds United, with only Aston Villa, Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United and Fulham gaining more points during that stretch, and the Opta supercomputer currently rates Leeds with an 8.4% chance of relegation, although Farke underlined that such numbers change quickly with a demanding run of games approaching.

Upcoming fixtures illustrate that challenge for Leeds United, with league matches against Arsenal, Nottingham Forest, Chelsea, Villa and Man City next on the schedule, so Farke viewed the Everton draw as both a positive step and a missed chance, because an away victory would have offered extra breathing space before that heavy sequence and pushed the team further from danger.

Team	Points since start of December	League defeats in that period
Aston Villa	22	Not stated
Manchester City	21	Not stated
Arsenal	20	Not stated
Manchester United	17	Not stated
Fulham	17	Not stated
Leeds United	15	1

Reflecting on the evening on Merseyside, Farke praised much of Leeds United’s display but highlighted the need for sharper attacking control, especially after half-time, when Everton increased possession yet still struggled to create clear chances, while Leeds finished the match believing they had generated higher expected goals and more attempts, and that the win remained within reach.

"A good result for a promoted side to come away from Everton with a point. It's a tough place," Farke told Sky Sports. "We are a bit disappointed because we weren't far away from winning it. We were very dominant in the first half. "

A point on Merseyside pic.twitter.com/rS2wCtmU4BLeeds United (@LUFC) January 26, 2026

"They had more possession in the second half, but we had some control of the ball. The feeling is we still had more expected goals, more shots, and we weren't farfrom winning. Overall, a good performance from my lads. We need to control the offensive game. We didn't allow any chances in the first half. It was great for the boys to create situations, and they should've scored. It was an excellent away performance. Twenty-six points, we edge one point closer. We stay one more game unbeaten. Nothing has been achieved yet, but we have to keep going, and we have to stay humble. "

Farke underlined that message when discussing Leeds United’s broader season objectives, stating: "It is a nice sign that we are moving one step closer to our goal. To come here and put in this performance is encouraging, but the job is not done yet," Farke insisted. "We have to keep going and need to win more points. For that, it is important that we are competitive like this. In seasons you have ups and downs. We have momentum, and we want to ride the momentum further. "

For Leeds United, this draw on Merseyside adds another point to reach 26, protects an unbeaten run of league matches, supports growing confidence within the squad and fanbase, and offers a reminder that although survival prospects look stronger, the team must still refine offensive decision-making and maintain recent standards during a testing spell against some of the division’s leading clubs.