Unfolding outcome of 49ers Enterprises' Leeds United decision is no real surprise - Graham Smyth's Verdict

Leeds United's seven-game winning streak should come as no surprise because this is Daniel Farke doing what Daniel Farke does

He did it at Norwich City, twice. Lengthy winning runs underpinned his pair of successful Championship title bids. In 2018/19, as part of a 14-match unbeaten streak, his Canaries won eight times on the bounce. Two seasons later they went one better, winning nine in a row as part of a 13-match unbeaten streak. His ability to get a team clicking and then keep them ticking is exactly what 49ers Enterprises wanted when they made him their first ever managerial hire, at the outset of their ownership tenure. And Leeds are now ticking in a way that should have the rest of the Championship glancing nervously in their direction

An explosive start at Swansea City on Tuesday night did untold damage and obliterated any confidence the Swans had taken from their weekend win over Hull City. The 4-0 win was a sort of mirror image of how things have gone for Farke since he arrived at Elland Road. He and the club had to overcome summer turbulence to get to where they wanted to go - a place from which they could challenge for what they want this season. Farke's steady hand on the controls was vital as he guided them clear of a contractual mess and a mass exodus and onto what he routinely now calls 'a good path.

Farke's fingerprints

At Swansea, they had to overcome the late loss of a key player from the starting line-up. Patrick Bamford suffered a last-minute problem in the warm-up and was replaced by Joel Piroe. But Leeds rose above any potential dip in performance to thrash their hosts and move into second place in the Championship table. Before the game Farke told of how he likes it when a coach's fingerprints can be seen in the way a team plays and on a miserably wet night in Wales nothing could wash his imprint from this game. It was indelible.

Where Leeds have previously, at least prior to this run, let teams off the hook for long spells to their own eventual cost, they were absolutely ruthless at Swansea, giving the manager exactly what he has been asking for. An eighth-minute opener, from the inevitable right boot of Crysencio Summerville, was followed by a 10th-minute strike from Joel Piroe. The first was teed up by the skill and ball retention ability of Georginio Rutter, whose tidiness on the ball was a hot topic for his manager until such a time as Farke felt the Frenchman could be trusted in the 10 role. The second goal was laid on by Willy Gnonto, whose very place in the team owes so much to Farke's willingness to give second chances

Graham Smyth's Leeds United player ratings v Swansea City as star scores 9/10 and six get 8s

Gnonto could have killed the game inside 20 minutes when put clean through by Summerville, but spurned the chance. There is always a second chance, though, when you play for a team with Leeds' attacking prowess. Archie Gray's excellent work on the right released Gnonto again and this time, with much more work still to be done, he made no mistake. A jink inside and a whipped, low finish inside the near post made it 3-0 with 36 played.

Swansea were put to the sword in the first half

Swansea escaped down the tunnel at half-time without further concessions, yet could still think themselves lucky. Farke had impressed on his players the need to be almost perfect in their pressing and the pressure they exerted on a beleaguered home side was almost too much to bear on a number of occasions. Simply put, the Swans were put to the sword in the first half.

What followed after the break was not quite as good, for a spell. The rain made the pitch increasingly difficult, Leeds' intensity was not quite what it had been and Swansea did muster a couple of promising moments, one of which was hammered over by a well-placed Jamie Paterson.

Daniel Farke reacts to Leeds United injury blow and how dressing room responded at Swansea City

Any faint hope harboured by the hosts was entirely extinguished by Gnonto's second, which was counter-attacking perfection. Summerville sprang free of his marker on the right and played the ball beyond the last defender, backing Gnonto's pace. Gnonto did the rest, positioning his body just right and patiently waiting to see the whites of Carl Rushworth's eyes before drilling home. Daniel James is fit again and that poses a question of Gnonto and that right wing position, so two goals and an assist was just about the best possible response.

A turning point?

With that, off came Gnonto and Summerville and on came the first of Farke's five eventual substitutions. The beauty of winning games as handsomely as Leeds have won their last couple is that you can share the minutes and the workload among the squad. The beauty of this Leeds squad, right now, is that they want more. They went after, but could not quite create, a fifth goal. Rutter came off and could not quite hide his disappointment, so Farke stepped in to manage the moment.

Elsewhere, Southampton were losing, at long last. Bristol City inflicted the Saints' first defeat since September and so Leeds ascended to second spot, two points clear of Russell Martin's side. The table and how it is changing is yet to draw anything like excitement from Farke, who pointed out once more that the time to worry about points and positions is right at the end of a season. It's difficult not to sense a turning, however. Whether this Tuesday will be seen as a turning point remains to be seen but with each win that comes Leeds are turning up the heat on their rivals. Farke has them cooking.