Why Leeds United boss Daniel Farke is braced for 'crazy few days' over international stars

With Leicester City embroiled in the FA Cup, the Whites moved into top spot in the Championship on the final weekend before the international break with a 2-0 win over Millwall.

But consolidating that will not be easy with a Good Friday trip to Watford, then a Monday visit from a Hull City side hoping to force their way back into the play-off places.

Leicester City have games at Bristol City and at home to Norwich City, but Ipswich Town could also pounce should Leeds slip up, (they play Blackburn Rovers and Southampton).

It means little margin for error as Farke tries to juggle a deep squad, but he will try not to let such thoughts clutter his mind too much.

"My experience is always just to really focus on the next game and what is the best starting line-up and not think about what could happen in the game after," he said.

"This weekend will be crazy because some players will even struggle to make the Good Friday game. It will be difficult for Junior Firpo to even make the game, for example when you look at the schedule (he plays for the Dominican Republic in Peru at 1.30am on Wednesday, UK time).

"We hope and pray every player stays fit and comes back healthy and in good shape and not too tired after many games and lots of travelling but this is something to worry about in the next weeks."

Helping Farke is the scientific back-up he has in weighing up the physical condition of his players.

"I've got really good people at Thorp Arch who support us," he said. "Every day we get so much data and so many tests.

"We've got top guys in Rob (Price), our physios and sports science department and our nutritionists. They are working at a top-class level.

"Otherwise it would not be possible at this level to show such consistency during such a crazy period.

"All credit goes to them because they prepare so many things for me, I get lots of information and it's for me to channel it and bring a bit of experience and gut feeling in because when you talk to a player, every one tells me, 'I'm top fitness, I want to play the next game.' They just want to play football.

"You have to be switched on and focused to observe their daily work and see if they are really sharp and on it or if there is a detail of being tired.

"You take your individual impressions and your gut feeling and what you observe in training into account but also your objective data. using this you try to reach the best possible decisions.

"We try our best but it's never a guarantee that you're always spot on but it's so far, so good."