Daniel Farke has no Joel Piroe concerns after striker's Easter Monday penalty snub

The Leeds United striker has had a difficult second half of the Championship season, and Monday's 3-1 win over Hull City only made it worse.

Piroe stepped up to take a crucial penalty with the scores level 88 minutes into the televised Elland Road game, only to be ushered away by his team-mates when Crysencio Summerville demanded to take it.

Fortunately for all concerned, the 22-year-old scored.

It only added to the ignominy for Piroe, signed amidst fanfare and expectation for £12m from Swansea City in August.

His first half of the season brought 11 goals from 22 starts, but he has only kicked off three league matches in 2024, and has scored just twice. He had only been on the field for five minutes on Monday, with 20-year-old Mateo Joseph preferred when Patrick Bamford was withdrawn.

As the season enters its final six games for Leeds with little to choose between them, Ipswich Town (a point ahead) and Leicester City (one behind with a game in hand), Leeds can ill-afford anyone not pulling their weight because their nose is out of joint.

Farke says he has no such concerns over Piroe.

"Cree (Summerville) was the taker on the sheet (before the match) and nothing changed during the game so it was natural he stepped up and wanted to take the penalty," explained Farke.

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"Whenever I bring Joel on he's more or less the first choice but I normally give him that information. I didn't because if I'm really honest it was more or less the 82nd minute (it was the 84th) and I didn't think about a penalty.

"I would have said if there was a penalty in the last seconds you take it, but not before because I don't like players who are just in the game to take a penalty.

"It was a sign of his confidence that although he had only had one or two touches, he wanted to take responsibility.

"His behaviour was top-class because he was one for the first guys over to celebrate with Cree and he stayed focused and provided a tidy assist for Dan James."

Victory over play-off chasers Coventry would complete a positive week for Leeds, who reached an FA Youth Cup final against Manchester City on Thursday.