Daniel Farke's Leeds United quality declaration in dominant Man United draw claim, problem and sole criticism
Whites boss Daniel Farke on Leeds United’s 1-1 draw against Manchester United.
Daniel Farke said the disappointment that his Leeds United side did not beat Manchester United was a sign of his club’s progress despite a Whites quality admission in his Roses derby draw verdict.
Leeds’ strong start to their second season back in the Premier League coupled with Manchester United’s recent struggles led to the Whites being made favourites for Sunday’s Premier League clash between the Roses rivals at Elland Road.
Michael Carrick’s visitors, though, went ahead with 35 minutes on the clock as Bryan Mbeumo converted a cross from Youri Tielemans and the Red Devils took a 1-0 lead into the break.
Leeds then equalised just six minutes into the second half when Dominic Calvert-Lewin netted from close range after Tarik Muharemovic’s knock down to an Anton Stach corner and Farke’s men then pushed for a winner roared on by a noisy crowd.
Manchester United also had their own forays forward but Farke felt his team were the dominant side as he declared a feeling of disappointment and not taking all three points.
That, though, said Farke, was in itself a sign of the club’s progress, the Whites boss admitting that a lack of quality in front of goal ultimately proved the difference as the only criticism that he could have.
Farke said post match: "I wanted to win this game and my boys as well. I think you could see this also outside that for that, even in this situation, that we are even a bit disappointed that we didn't win it.
"But on the other hand you have to say it says a lot about what we've done over with the last years that we're right now, even slightly a bit disappointed with a point, just a point against Man United.
"I think we were the better side today, the dominant side.
"It was not necessary to be in a losing position at a half time, because even the first half we were very dominant.
"But it's still Man United and if you're in one moment not switched on to defend forward and also to spot the run and track the run then with their quality and Mbeumo they can hurt you and this is what we did.
"I think we lacked a little bit in our decision making in the first half so we could have done a bit better and can play it and around the box with a bit more clarity.
"I think this is what we added in the second half, especially in the beginning, we pushed for the equaliser, fully deserved, a really good equaliser, we had the momentum, completely on our side.
"The problem was there were too many strikes over the crossbare and too many crosses were then even a bit too long and this situation killed then a bit our momentum.
"I think otherwise we would have capitalised even more and we would have won this game.
"But this lack of quality in the finishing, and the crossing was more or less, the only thing I can criticise, because on the other hand you always have to be aware it's still Man United and the quality that they have and can bring in more or less with the counter attack, they can still hurt you.
"We have not allowed anything in the second half and for that many, many compliments to my players for another really good performance, a dominant performance against Man United.
"With a bit more quality in our final third I think we could have even won it but that's more less the only thing I can criticise."