Leeds United boss Daniel Farke lauds quartet and Whites top flight credentials in 'crazy' Liverpool draw
Leeds United twice fought back from going behind to draw against the reigning Premier League champions at Elland Road.
Leeds United boss Daniel Farke lauded four of his substitutes for their impact as the Whites fought back twice to draw 3-3 with Liverpool.
United twice came from behind to hold the champions in an instant Elland Road classic. Farke's men looked dead and buried when they went 2-0 down in the first five minutes of the second half. But Farke's substitutions brought Ao Tanaka, Brenden Aaronson and Willy Gnonto onto the pitch and the trio each had a hand in rescuing a point.
Gnonto won a penalty that was thumped home by Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Aaronson fed Anton Stach who smacked in the second and after Dominik Szoboszlai made it 3-2, Tanaka popped up at the back post for a 96th-minute equaliser. Sebastiaan Bornauw, a centre-back who found himself coming on to play striker, played his bit too for Farke.
"Very happy of course, all the credit goes to the boys," said Farke. "We got so much praise for our different formation but at 2-0 down we wanted to change the challenge for Liverpool. We wanted mobile wingers, sometimes wide, sometimes in the pocket and to press in a different way. The lads executed in a brilliant way, assist for Willy, assist for Brenden, Ao with an equaliser after I was a bit furious with him for opening our block [for the Liverpool third.] Sebastiaan Bornauw, we wanted to create a bit of chaos, playing as a right-back without the ball and a striker with it. We needed to change something. It caught Liverpool a bit by surprise and we were able to create a few more set-pieces and could use one to equalise. After this exhausting week, to change base formation and it works, it's amazing."
In Farke's words it was another 'magical' night at Elland Road but his players had to dig deep to fight back from errors that he believes stemmed from the toll this past week has taken.
Daniel Farke on Leeds United mistakes and Elland Road drama
"Tight game in the first half, they had a bit more possession but we put pressure on them, similar to the first half against Chelsea," he said. "We didn't allow many chances, I don't remember Lucas Perri making a save. If you want to win points against the top sides in the world you need top energy against the ball, but also with the ball. In the second half you could realise we were running out of energy a bit in possession and had two mistakes sadly to assist their two goals. My boys have this attitude, never know when they're beaten and whatever is thrown at them they always try to find the answer. To come back from 2-0 down was outstanding. Perhaps a bit overmotivated, 2-2, stepped out of our block in the pressing without a trigger and allowed them to score a top class goal. To find another answer and equalise. It's just a point but the lads should be really proud and can take lots of confidence."
The draw brings to an end a week of games against elite opposition. Leeds scored eight goals in those three outings and took four points. Farke insists he was certain they belonged in the Premier League long before this week, however.
"I was convinced we belong in this league before we won a title with 100 points," he said. "We had one game away at Arsenal when we had no chance and in many games were competitive and were even the better side. If you can win points against the top sides, if you can be dominant in many spells - today it was not like we were unbelievably lucky, we deserved the point - you take lots of confidence.
"I know I want at least nine wins. If we show this type of performance and spirit and belief then we have a good chance. I don't think it scares any other teams but it sends a good message to our group. They're buzzing, they're confident and each and every good result creates more belief and more unity. For us it was an important week, important games."