Stoke boss issues best in country Leeds United praise with Whites prediction but decision swipe

Former Plymouth boss Schumacher headed to LS11 for the second time this season in Tuesday night’s Championship clash with Stoke but ultimately suffered the same fate he experienced when in charge of Plymouth for November’s league clash.

Schumacher’s Pilgrims fell to a 2-1 reverse at Elland Road on November 11 and four months later a single strike from United’s Dan James was enough to condemn Stoke and Schumacher to another defeat in West Yorkshire. The Potters produced a strong second half fightback after James had put an initially dominant Whites ahead in the 33rd minute and Schumacher felt his side should have got something from the game. Schumacher, though, was full of praise for Daniel Farke’s Whites, predicting that their season would end with promotion and issuing lavish praise for both the Elland Road atmosphere and the club’s fans.

"I think they will get to the Premier League,” Schumacher told the YEP, asked if he thought that Leeds would go up. "I think they are good enough, they have got enough individual talent, they have got enough experience and they have got a really good manager who knows how to get it done under pressure moments so I think they will be there. I've been here twice now this season and come away from it twice thinking probably should have got something from that game but unfortunately just haven't so it is a blow but I will learn from it."

Asked how much of an impact the home crowd had on games, Schumacher admitted "It's huge. It's probably right up there with the best atmospheres in the country in all of the leagues.

"It's brilliant. I love the Leeds fans, it's class and they do play a huge part in it. We spoke to the players about it before the game about in the moments when they are on top you have got to try and take the momentum out of the game.

"They had ten or 15 minutes in the first half Leeds where they showed what they are all about but I thought we responded quite well and got through it. Going in at 1-0 at half time was okay and in the second half we had a right good go and we maybe should have taken something from the game."

Stoke were not helped by losing Ben Pearson to a second booking with four minutes left and Schumacher felt it was inevitable that referee Oliver Langford would brandish a second yellow for his challenge on Dan James.

"Frustrating,” said the Stoke boss. “I don't think he (Pearson) needs to get involved in the first one and then the second one, I think there's not a lot in it. But in places like this, the refs can't wait to make decisions against you, they can't wait, so it was obvious what he was going to do so it's frustrating because we are going to miss Ben again who I thought when he came on the pitch had a real big impact on it and was playing really well.

"What I am thinking is 'right, he's going to be in my team selection for Saturday’ because he was excellent. But now he won't be available and that's frustrating."