Daniel Farke earns title but Leeds United stars snubbed despite statement win at Leicester City

Statistics site Whoscored.com helps to generate the team of the week for the Championship, based on the ratings earned by players across the division during that match round, and although a Leicester City player has been named in this week’s team there are no other Elland Road representatives besides Farke. The German led his team to an impressive 1-0 win over Leicester City on Friday night, ending the Foxes’ nine-game Championship winning streak and handing them only a second defeat in 15 league outings. Although an 11-point gap still exists between Leicester and Leeds, the significance of the result and the performance was laid bare by the full-time celebrations on the Kingpower Stadium surface. Georginio Rutter’s second half goal was enough to separate the two sides and take Leeds to within seven points of second-placed Ipswich Town, although the latter hold a game in hand.

There were several key individual performances for Leeds, including those contributed by centre-backs Pascal Struijk and Joe Rodon who kept a dangerous Leicester frontline silent for the vast majority, while central midfielders Ethan Ampadu and Glen Kamara were both hugely influential throughout the game. Archie Gray had another outstanding performance at right-back and Daniel James posed a threat on the break but used the ball sensibly, retaining possession well to take the sting out of the Foxes’ second half pressure.

This week’s Championship Team of the Week did not include any of the aforementioned Leeds men, however, with James leading the side in their Whoscored.com ratings with 7.7. Struijk and Rodon earned ratings of 7.2 and 7 respectively, while Kamara and Ampadu were given 7.5 and 7.3 respectively. James’ rating was not enough to take the right-wing spot in the Team of the Week, because Leicester’s Abul Fatawu pipped him with a 7.9 rating according to Whoscored.com. The youngster was terrific in the first half, giving Sam Byram a torrid time of it, drawing fouls that put the Leeds right-back’s name in the referee’s notebook and going past him to slam a shot onto the crossbar. Fatawu faded in the second half, though, as Crysencio Summerville and Byram combined to nullify his threat.

The central midfield slots went to Plymouth's Finn Azaz [8.66] who was directly involved in two of his side’s three goals, following up an assist with a goal of his own, and Preston North End’s Alan Browne [8.1] who was on target from the penalty spot in a win over Coventry City. Although the ratings consist of more constituent parts than simply end product, that evidently holds significant sway. At the heart of the Team of the Week defence were Bristol City’s Rob Dickie [8] and Watford man Francisco Sierralta [7.7].

So far this season Leeds have two players in Whoscored.com's best XI, those being winger Crysencio Summerville thanks to his 7.7 average match rating and forward Georginio Rutter [7.4]. The site, which takes what it describes as the best performing player in each position, has included a pair of Leicester men and two Ipswich Town representatives in its Team of the Season so far.

Whoscored.com Championship Team of the Week: Mark Cooper 8.6 [Plymouth Argyle]; Ethan Laird 8.4 [Birmingham City], Kenneth Paal 8 [Queens Park Rangers], Rob Dickie 8 [Bristol City], Francisco Sierralta 7.7 [Watford]; Abdul Fatawu 7.9 [Leicester City], Andrew Moran 8.7 [Blackburn Rovers], Finn Azaz 8.7 [Plymouth Argyle], Alan Browne 8.1 [Preston North End]; Sammie Szmodics 9.2 [Blackburn Rovers], Tyrhys Dolan 7.9 [Blackburn Rovers].