![Former manager John Eustace said following January's 1-1 draw at Elland Road: "We defended really well, limited them to next to nothing. We're coming to the best team in the league, best squad of players and to come away with a draw is really pleasing. I thought it was a really, really soft penalty [for a foul on Mateo Joseph]. I don't think we'd have got it if it was at the other end. It's a fantastic football club, 36,000 fans, the ref is always under pressure to give a decision. There's a lot of pressure on how we had to defend the box today and we defended it really well. To get the equaliser in the end was brilliant."](https://www.thestar.co.uk/jpim-static/image/2025/01/01/19/25/GettyImages-2191763266.jpeg?crop=3:2,smart&trim=&width=640&quality=70&enable=upscale)
Leeds United have been seriously impressive this season and sit top of the Championship for a reason. Daniel Farke’s side have the most potent attack in England’s top four divisions, one of the sternest defences and a squad depth many in the second-tier would envy.
It’s not been a perfect campaign, as it never is in the Championship, but with the March international break underway they remain many people’s favourites to go up - and a lot of those tipping a return to the Premier League are opposition managers. The weekly praise given to Leeds has bordered on ridiculous at times as rival bosses explain how their respective side was picked apart.
Leeds have played all but eight Championship teams twice and so now seems as good a time as any to see exactly what those opposition managers have said throughout the season. Take a look below to see the pick of the quotes from each of their 23 league rivals.
13. Plymouth Argyle
A toothless Plymouth were beaten 3-0 at Elland Road back in November, after which former manager Wayne Rooney said: "Leeds are a fantastic team, difficult team to play against. I'm sure if you ask their manager, anything but promotion for Leeds will be failure. I'm sure that's the message he's getting. No doubt they'll be one of the teams fighting for the top two places." | Getty Images
14. Portsmouth
Portsmouth ended Leeds' 17-game unbeaten run earlier this month with a 1-0 win at Fratton Park, after which head coach John Mousinho said: “Two proper football clubs coming together and at different ends of the spectrum at the moment and a side who I think are littered with Premier League quality coming here... I think Leeds are a top, top side, they are a Premier League team in the making and to come here and do what we did, probably the best performance so far this season, we’ve got to keep on top of that and keep going." | Getty Images
15. Preston North End
Leeds nicked a 1-1 draw at Preston back in December, after which Paul Heckingbottom admitted: "Leeds make you work so hard without the ball. You're talking about top level players. It would have been better if we'd won. The fans are same as me, this hurts for different reasons because of the type of goal. Leeds threw everything at us and we stood strong until the very last minutes. We played against a good side who really made us work." | Getty Images
16. QPR
Following last weekend's 2-2 draw at Loftus Road, QPR boss Marti Cifuentes said: “I think that Leeds is a fantastic side. I said before the game, I say now after the game, for me I hope that they go up because it was not easy for them last season I can imagine. I guess there are a lot of things going on in Daniel's head after 2-0 in the first half but I think they are an even stronger side this season and the fact they've got the points they've got at this moment shows how good they are." | Getty Images
17. Sheffield United
Leeds have done the double over their promotion rivals this season and following last month's meeting at Bramall Lane - a 3-1 away win - Chris Wilder said: "Congratulations to Dan and Leeds United, they're a top side. They're top for a reason and have some really good players and we said at half-time we might have to suffer a bit here. We lost a bit of control, they're chucking people forward. Struijk, Premier League player, Dan James and Firpo, Premier League players, found those big moments. We just got pushed back by good players and they find those big moments. The wide players are Premier League players, Firpo is a Premier League player, Struijk is a Premier League player. Quite a lot of them have played in there and want to get back in there. That's the quality we're up against. Tonight was always going to be about putting yourself into a better position and they've put themselves in a better position than we have. They've taken the opportunity, you have to give them credit for that." | Getty Images
18. Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday have also been beaten twice by Leeds this season, with Danny Rohl admitting after January's 3-0 loss at Elland Road: "It’s hard to take, but we played against the best team in the league and I think this is the difference between us and them.... I wish the best to Leeds, for me they will go up, it’s the best team in the league, and now we have to focus on the next 19 games." | Getty Images