Daniel Farke explains why Stoke City win was Leeds United's best of 2024

A Dan James goal was all that separated the sides on a night when the hosts were below their best, but won anyway in front of a slightly and understandably subdued Elland Road.

"It's a relief but there's also happiness," he said. "For me it's the best win in 2024 because in such a game everyone more or less expects us to win this home game.

"Sometimes in a spotlight game like Leicester people accept a draw.

"We didn't have a dip in form at Huddersfield but a dip in results if you can say that after a draw because we won nine (league) games before. The next game is only two-and-a-half days later against a side fighting with everything they've got against relegation.

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"They had a brilliant last game and an important win (over Middlesbrough).

"At Elland Road people expect we beat every opponent and right now against a team not in the best position in the league it should be an easy win.

"It feels like the atmosphere in the stadium is of people going for a cup of tea and a cake perhaps instead of this explosion we had against Leicester where everyone was on it.

"In these type of games we have to dig in and grind out a result and this is important.

"I was pretty happy with the first half, I think we played excellent. We needed perhaps 15, 20 minutes out of our dominance to create chances but then we were all over them.

"In the second half we opted a bit too much to always wait for the transition moment. Sometimes we were almost cheating a bit to wait for the next transition moment.

"Whenever we had the ball we didn't control the game like we did in the first half because we were too greedy to go for the next attack, it was a bit like a basketball game.

"Yes, we had by far the better chances, Daniel James and Mateo Joseph twice but at times we just had to play the final ball a bit better.

"It's always the same, if you don't score the second goal it's always nervy because you allow the opponent to take part in the game and have some good shooting chances.

"In the end you have to make sure you return to the dressing room with a clean sheet and for that I'm pretty happy and proud.

"These hard-fought wins are what bring you to a top position at the end of the season."

Farke was keen to stress that he was not complaining about a crowd who, like his players, are being put through a typically demanding Championship schedule.

"It was no criticism because it was still a great atmosphere," he said. "Normally after such an explosion at Elland Road in the last game it's more like another day at the office against a side in the relegation zone.

"Everyone expects more football fireworks - come on, entertain me. You have to make sure you inspire this crowd. I think we inspired them with a really good first half and they were able to help us during this difficult period.

"It was a good mix out of both but you can't expect Elland Road is always such a firework like in the last game because when you have 23 home games plus cup games, if you did this every game it's more like a candle that burns from both sides and if you do that probably not everyone shows up at Elland Road any more

"We definitely need our supporters further on in the home games because if we win every home game from now on and even if we only draw our away games, we will be in a top-class position."