Liverpool get instant VAR explanation on Leeds penalty as Premier League releases official statement and their website crashes in five minutes
Leeds United pulled off another huge result against Arne Slot’s Liverpool on Saturday night. The Whites were full of confidence after the Chelsea game and it carried on into the draw against the Reds.
Farke’s men performer brilliantly with their win over Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea midweek – they dominated the game on and off the ball in an emphatic win. Everything went well that day, with Jaka Bijol, Ao Tanaka and Dominic Calvert-Lewin all on the scoresheet.
Switching to the 3-5-2 seems to have brought a lot of joy to Leeds, as it allowed them to play both Calvert-Lewin and Nmecha up front. The two players use their physicality and technical ability to shake opposition defenders so well. It was a thrilling game as Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Anton Stach and Ao Tanaka were all on the scoresheet in a 3-3 draw.
Before kick off on Saturday, the Whites experience some terrible news. Daniel Farke confirmed that Lukas Nmecha missed the game with a hamstring strain and that he could miss the next couple of games:
“Yeah it’s a hamstring strain,” Farke told Sky Sports of Nmecha ahead of kick-off. “It was not possible for him to be available. We hope to have him back for the next games but not for tonight.”
A hamstring strain is a very difficult thing to deal with as seen this season with Dan James. Leeds never quite let him fully recover and kept on playing him. Now, the Welsh winger is out for the rest of the year.
Missing Lukas Nmecha in the next couple of games is a bigger blow than it seems; the forward had just gotten a run in the team and he will not be out for some games. His height and ability on the ball perfectly compliments Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the lineup as seen in the Chelsea win and the second half against Manchester City.
With Nmecha out, the options on the bench are limited – Leeds played Noah Okafor against Liverpool, and even though the forward did his best, he can’t match the intensity the German brings. Daniel Farke will now have to go to the drawing board to figure out how to set up the team now that one of his key players is set to miss a few games.
Leeds United is facing a tough challenge with Lukas Nmecha’s injury, which will keep him out for a few games. The team has been relying on him, and his absence is a significant blow, especially considering his impressive form, scoring in three of their past four games ¹.
Daniel Farke, the manager, will have to get creative to fill the gap. They did try out Noah Okafor against Liverpool, but he wasn’t quite the same, lacking the intensity Nmecha brings to the game.
It’s likely Farke will consider Wilfried Gnonto or Joel Piroe as possible replacements. The team’s bench options are limited, so it’ll be interesting to see how Farke decides to set up the team.
Leeds United’s recent form has been promising, with a 3-3 draw against Liverpool and a 3-1 win over Chelsea. Let’s hope they can maintain their momentum despite Nmecha’s absence
