Daniel Farke declares 'happy' Watford take amid Leeds United 'worst moment' with 'no sleep' star

'Really happy' Leeds United boss Daniel Farke has explained why he will take Friday night's point at Watford "all day long" faced with the "worst possible moment", in-game "bad luck" and new Whites injuries.

Leeds resumed their Championship promotion push after the March international break with Friday evening's clash at Vicarage Road in which a Whites win would have put United back into first place and three points clear of Leicester City.

Instead, the contest ended in a 2-2 draw and only after substitute Mateo Joseph's late leveller. Leeds were very slow to get going and Watford went ahead just after the half hour mark through Vakoun Bayo who rifled home a fine first-time finish after Illan Meslier had saved from Emmanuel Dennis but parried the ball into his path.

The Whites then drew level in stunning style just six minutes later through Crysencio Summerville who cut in from the left flank before producing a stunning curler into the opposite corner.

Watford, though, immediately responded and went back ahead in the 44th minute through Dennis who cut in from the right and skipped past Liam Cooper before smashing home a low drive into the bottom left.

Despite United’s attempts to rally after the break, the Dennis strike looked set to give the Hornets all three points but young striker Joseph came off the bench to bag an 85th-minute equaliser with his first touches of the game. 

Leeds, though, then pushed hard for a winner and another substitute Jaidon Anthony was only denied by a fantastic Daniel Bachmann save, but for which Farke says he would have been "dancing on the table" for the first time this campaign.

Explaining a long list of circumstances stacked against the Whites, Farke said: "I tell you what, I will take this point all day long, really, really happy and proud of the boys. I didn't speak about this topic before the game because otherwise you send the wrong message. But we played this game in the worst possible moment.

"First of all Watford, it's always the same, a new manager comes in, there's new belief, a bit of fresh air, they won the first game for the first time since a while, big positivity here and then it is like their old mate and former colleague in charge.

"They know he knows the players inside out and always gives them confidence and then obviously they then play with confidence and it feels a bit like they are unleashed and they have a great start.

"And for us, the international break was the worst possible outcome. Three players came back injured (Willy Gnonto, Connor Roberts and Ilia Gruev), all three players in red hot form not available for tonight.

"For the Welsh lads for example, two and a half days, they had to play  120 minutes with the biggest disappointment of probably the biggest game of the season so they are not allowed to go to the Euros. Also the outcome, unlucky for Daniel James.

"Junior Firpo still played on Wednesday morning in South America and had a flight back without sleep. He arrived yesterday late with us.

"We had Georginio Rutter today nine days after surgery. He had to start the game.

"Also, I always hope that Liam Cooper starts for Scotland, but not two and a half days ago because with his injury CV you hope that he doesn't have to play two times within three days in the starting line up for 90 minutes.

"We had not one training session together as a team. We had the whole time during the international break six first team players available.

"I like it because it is a sign that our players are wanted by their national team manager. It's a good sign we have some quality. But once you don't have a training session with the team because yesterday it was not possible to have load for the Welsh players, for Junior Firpo, for Liam.

"So for that we had to play this game just like pressing the button, not one training session together with the whole team and obviously you could feel this in the first half because we were not in our rhythm and not at our best and football-wise and then also a bit unlucky with how we conceded the goals.

"But it's then so so difficult to turn the game and get something from the game when you play an unleashed side who is playing with confidence  and have for the first time this season more or less the positivity and they still have individual quality. We don't have to speak about this. They have really good players, they are much better than their league position.

"Then to play such a second half and to come back and to equalise and normally with the scene of Jaidon Anthony we nearly won this game, it would have been really the first time this season I would have danced on the table if we would have scored in this moment.

"I tell you what, I take this point all day long and I am so, so proud of the lads, pretty happy with the outcome tonight."