Daniel Farke eclipses Marcelo Bielsa achievement and personal best as Leeds United set sights on record

Leeds have surpassed their Elland Road points tally under Marcelo Bielsa in 2019/20 - the season in which they last won the Championship title - whilst also accruing more home points this year than Daniel Farke ever managed in charge of Norwich City.

After 20 home league matches this season, Leeds have earned 52 points, exceeding the 50 won four years ago as Bielsa’s side finished strongly to win the division. Additionally, Leeds have eclipsed the home points tallies won by both of Farke’s title-winning Canaries outfits in 2019 and 2021. During those seasons, Norwich clinched 49 and 48 points, respectively, on course to Premier League football the following year.

With three games at Elland Road remaining this season, Leeds could still become the division’s best-ever home side by finishing on a maximum of 61 points. Three teams have previously won 60 home points during a single Championship campaign - Reading (2005/06); Sunderland (1998/99) and Manchester City (2001/02) - although none were able to go the season undefeated on home turf.

Since the second tier became a 24-team, 46-game league in 1988, only Newcastle United in 2009/10 have gone an entire campaign without losing a single game at home. That year, the Magpies won 18 and drew five of their games at St James’ Park. Currently, Leeds are on 16 wins and four draws with matches against Sunderland, Blackburn Rovers and Southampton still to play at Elland Road.

If Leeds are able to win just one of their three remaining home matches this season, they will surpass their Elland Road points tally from the title-winning 1989/90 campaign, in which they won 16, drew six and lost one.

Due to the closest promotion race in recent Championship history, and quite possibly the strongest cohort of title hopefuls the second tier has ever seen, supporters know surpassing historic records will mean very little if the team do not reside in the top two come the end of the season, though.

Leeds sit one place and one point above Leicester City, who have a game in hand on the Whites and league leaders Ipswich Town, however United do boast a superior goal difference to their fellow title challengers and have conceded the fewest goals in the division, in addition to the fact Farke’s men are unbeaten in 15 straight league games.