How Daniel Farke reacted to Leeds United win over Birmingham City as he reveals keeper's sacrifice

The Whites ran out comfortable winners at Elland Road and could have helped themselves to several goals, with the woodwork and John Ruddy saving Birmingham from further humiliation. Farke’s men hit the front on 34 minutes through Patrick Bamford’s first goal since April, a close-range header from Daniel James’ pinpoint cross. James himself doubled the lead in first half stoppage time with a first-time finish from Junior Firpo’s pass and Crysencio Summerville completed the scoring midway through the second half. Both Bamford and Firpo struck the post as Leeds poured forward in search of more. The win was all important for Farke.

“Very important, we wanted to return to winning ways,” he said. “It was always a complicated game. Boxing Day we were in brilliant shape, had delivered the best performance of any team this season in the Championship, against Ipswich, but when you head into a fourth game in 10 days after back-to-back defeats it's always a bit complicated. I think you could feel it a bit in the first 20, we didn't move the ball quick enough. Then you need to dig in to open the game with a goal. We did it with brilliant play, good positioning, a perfect assist and a good header and then the confidence, rhythm and our process was back. We were all over them and didn't allow them to have chances.

"I was a bit concerned in the start of the second, so many good situations but at first didn't bury them with a third goal. Perhaps it was not perfect, we had one or two unnecessary losses of the ball and they had a big chance, but we had a big will to return with a clean sheet and for that many compliments to the lads. It's never an easy game and on personnel terms, number one and two goalkeepers not available – Kris Klaesson was brilliant. Struijk, the rock at the back not available. After 10 minutes Sam Byram not available. The last time Junior Firpo played 80 minutes on league level was before my regime. So definitely it's good for the mood and confidence.”

The only real fly in the ointment for Farke was that early injury departure of Byram, who pulled up with yet another hamstring issue. “Sam Byram hamstring issue, he felt something in the hamstring,” said the manager. “I think it's not too bad but bad enough he couldn't stay on. I was not sure if Junior Firpo could really handle 80 minutes but he was more or less solid at the back, two assists. You could see he needed to dig in to survive the last 15 minutes.”

Leeds were always going to be without first-choice keeper Illan Meslier, who was serving the second game of his red card suspension, but they lost Karl Darlow too after the West Bromwich Albion defeat. Darlow injured his thumb preparing for the game, on the Hawthorns pitch, and his attitude drew praise from the manager. He said: “In the warm-up for the West Brom game, he dislocated his thumb, had a strap around it, took whatever, 10 painkillers, the highest dose allowed and survived this game. We need the attitude of Karl Darlow. It was also the due date for his missus. He said he wanted to travel with us, then dislocated his thumb. Was in for training [the next day], then for an MRI and then to the hospital with his wife. This mentality, to give everything for the team and the club, we need this mentality. I really believe you get back what you invest. What the lads are investing at the moment - we're not always perfect - but the mentality and workload that they put in is second to none. For that I'm definitely in a good mood.”