‘DON’T WORRY, CITY GOING UP‘
FARKE’S MESSAGE AHEAD OF CLASH OF THE TOP TWO
DEFEAT to Leeds United will not cost Leicester City promotion – Daniel Farke is adamant that Enzo Maresca’s side are Premier League-bound no matter what happens at Elland Road tomorrow night (8pm), writes Jordan Blackwell.
While City head to Yorkshire as leaders, they face a second-placed Leeds side unbeaten at home all season and on an eight-match winning streak.
If City lose to Leeds and Ipswich beat Birmingham on Saturday, their cushion inside the top two will be down to six points, a fall from 14 a couple of weeks ago.
That could potentially create nerves among City fans, but Farke does not believe tomorrow’s result will have any impact on the club’s fate.
From what he’s seen, City are destined to be promoted.
“I was never so concentrated on the points gap to Leicester,” Farke told his pre-match press conference yesterday afternoon.
“Even right now I’m not too bothered about it. Even if we win this game and close the points gap a little bit more, they have still a great points tally, they have everything in their hands and we can’t influence their games.
“That’s really not important. Leicester has so many points at this stage that even if we win this game, this side will definitely finish in the top two.
“For that, I’m not too bothered about the points distance to Leicester.
“I’m just concentrated on our points tally and we just want to achieve a special amount of wins in order to finish in the best possible position.
“It’s a special game and spotlight game, but in 46 games you always have the chance to win three points. This is a chance for us to win the next points and improve our position.
“We have a home game and we face probably the toughest opponent in this league. But so do Leicester.
“They know we are a really good side. It’s a very interesting game for the outside world, for the media, the pundits, and for the supporters. But for us, it’s more like another chance to win points.”
Leeds’ exceptional eight-game winning run, in which they have scored 19 goals and conceded just one, prompted Farke to be asked if his side are the best in the Championship.
That’s something he dismissed on account of City’s consistency.
He said: “We’re only allowed to speak about this topic after the season.
“The team who wins the title is definitely the best and most consistent team in the league, and at the moment it’s credit to Leicester because they are so far the most consistent side in this league, otherwise they wouldn’t be there in position one with such a great points tally.
“Credit to them and we have to respect them.
“I know we had a difficult start and since the start we have perhaps collected a few more points in comparison to them and have closed the points gap.
“But you also have to say that when you judge a whole season, they are the most consistent team so far and for that we have to respect this.”