No Swiss player has scored more goals in a single Premier League campaign than Leeds forward Noah Okafor. In fact, among those to play 200+ minutes since the start of February, Okafor has the best goals-to-minutes ratio of any player in the division.
His “excellent impact” has drawn high praise from manager Daniel Farke. His goal contributions have probably earned Leeds a place in the Premier League next season. But rather than celebrate his recent flurry as an achievement of his own, the 25-year-old prefers to speak bigger picture.
“The main topic for me is to get points for the team,” he tells Sky Sports, ahead of facing Tottenham on Monday Night Football. “The team has a big energy, a positive energy, a good atmosphere. We find each other, performing very well because we’ve worked hard for this moment.”
Monday 11th May 6:30pm
Kick off 8:00pm
This fixture at this particular juncture could have held very different meaning for Leeds. Its result could have been consequential in the battle to avoid relegation. But Farke was not prepared to roll the dice of chance.
Since the start of December, only six teams have picked up more Premier League points than Leeds. Only three teams have lost fewer games than their four. While Spurs have slid quite catastrophically towards the drop, Leeds have lifted themselves in the opposite direction. Time to ease off the gas, then?
“We can breathe, but nothing is safe yet because we have three games left,” Okafor continues. “With the last weeks we have shown a good mood, loads of points, and this gives us confidence. There is no excuse to stop, we still have to work hard and improve in each and every aspect of the game.”
Leeds’ campaign has been bolstered by a no-excuses culture. They are one of only two sides currently in the bottom seven spots to have stuck with their manager throughout the rocky patches. Spurs are on their third. Nottingham Forest have actually made their way through a record four.
But continuity has been friend not foe in Yorkshire. Leeds have bucked the trend by doubling down on Farke and players – Okafor being a prime example – have responded with big performances. “The coach is strict, he knows what he wants to do, he tries to give this to us,” the forward says.
“In the end we fight for everything because we know this squad has a lot of quality, and this makes life easier when everyone gives 100 per cent. You can enjoy more like this. Everyone is on the boat, on the journey with this team.”
This side mixes fight with flair particularly well. It still has shades of the excitement Marcelo Bielsa brought to the Premier League back in 2020/21. Okafor encompasses as much. His two belters at Manchester United in a 2-1 triumph were backed up by a goal and assist in victory over Wolves in April, before helping himself to a strike in last week’s crucial 3-1 win over Burnley.
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Noah Okafor puts Leeds United ahead within FIVE minutes against Manchester United in the Premier League.
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Noah Okafor stuns Manchester United to double Leeds United’s lead against Manchester United in the Premier League.
Farke’s side have scored three or more in eight different outings this term, the most any newly promoted side has managed since Leeds themselves under Bielsa. There might be a pragmatic edge under the German’s guidance but fluidity and creativity exist too. The xG table places them 11th, above Everton and Aston Villa, and way ahead of Monday’s hosts Spurs.
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Noah Okafor doubles Leeds advantage over Burnley!
Okafor has outperformed his personal xG value by 2.74 goals.
The Swiss international, who harbours hopes of appearing at this summer’s World Cup, last spoke to Sky Sports back in December, at a time when points where much harder to come by. “We have to stay brave in the mind,” he insisted.
When asked if that still rings true, he did not hesitate. “It’s a good sentence. We have to be brave in the mind the whole season. For sure football is always a little bit of pressure, we have showed how to deal with this.” Leeds have stayed brave. They backed Farke at a time where others would have lurched for change and have reaped the rewards of such loyalty – a concept underrated by most modern football chiefs.
Leeds’ six-game unbeaten run to lift them to 43 points is proof that consistency can work. The target must now be to emulate what the previous four clubs to survive in the Premier League after promotion – Brentford, Fulham, Bournemouth and Forest – have done.
Their fate remains impressively in their own steady hands.
Watch Tottenham vs Leeds live on Sky Sports Main Event on Monday Night Football; kick-off 8pm
